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''\\'^^       '       .,.x:5:^^ 


■  llei-i;  must  wc  live,  — here  must  we  die.' 


V.  18. 


THE 


CLIFF-CLIMBERS; 


OR, 


THE  LONE  HOME  IN  THE  HIMALAYAS. 


A  SEQUEL  TO  "THE  PLANT-HUNTERS." 


CAPTAIN    MAYNE    REID, 

AUTHOR   OF    "the   DESERT   HOME,"    "THE   BOT   HUNTERS,"    ETC.,   ETO. 


■WITH    ILLUSTKATIONS. 


J^SC^^ 


BOSTON: 
T  I  C  K  N  O  11     AND     F  I  E  I^  D  S  . 

I860. 


University    Press: 

Welch,    Bigelow,    and    Company, 

Cam  bridge. 


CONTENTS. 


— *— 

Chafteb  Pagb 

I.  The  Himalayas 1 

II.  A  View  from  Chumulaei 7 

III.  The  Plant-Hunter  and  his  Companions      .        .  13 

IV.  Home  to  the  Hut 18 

V.  A  Midnight  Inteitoer 22 

VI.  A  Talk  about  Elephants     ......  27 

VII.  Re-stocking  the  Guns 32 

Vni.  Inspecting  the  Cliffs 36 

IX.  A  Reconnoissance  Interrupted      ....  40 

X.  OssAROo  ON  the  Obelisk 45 

XI.  A  Wholesale  Tumble 48 

Xn.  A  Ring  Performance 53 

XUI.  An  Odd  Appeaeance 58 

XIV.  A  CuEious  Nest .■       .  62 

XV.  The  Hornbill 67 

XVI.  A  Four-footed  Burglar 71 

XVn.  Fritz  Interferes 75 

XVni.  "Death  to  the  Rogue!" 79 


1542451 


VI  CONTENTS. 

XIX.  A  Home  in  Ruins 84 

XX.  Up  a  Tree  again!     ...•.,,  89 

XXI.  An  Implacable  Besieger 93 

XXn.  Drawing  their  Drink     .....  97 

XXin.  A  Gigantic  Syringe 101 

XXIV.  Swallowed  Wholesale 104 

XXV.  The  Deodar 109 

XXVl.  The  Scaling  Ladders 117 

XXVII.  An  Empty  Larder 122 

XXVIU.  Going  abroad  for  Breakfast       .        .        .  126 

XXIX.  Caspar  on  a  Stalk 130 

XXX.  The  Double  Decoy 134 

XXXI.  The  Signal  of  the  Shikaree  .       .       .       .139 

XXXn.  The  Ibex 143 

XXXin.  Goats  and  Sheep 148 

XXXIV.  A  Battle  of  Bucks 155 

XXXV.  The  Bearcoots 162 

XXXVI.  A  Hope  built  upon  the  Bearcoot       .        .  169 

XXXVn.  The  Log  on  the  Leg 174 

XXXVIII.  Further  Experiments 181 

XXXIX.  The  Eagle's  Escape 185 

XL.  Fritz  and  the  Falcons 189 

XLI.  Fritz  Offended 195 

XLH.  a"  Kite!       ...                ....  198 

XLin.  The  Paper-Tree 204 


CONTENTS.  Vii 

XLIV.  Flying  the  Kite 211 

XLV.  The  Rope  Ladder 217 

XL VI.  OSSAEOO  SIAKES   A   QUICK   DeSCEMT  .  .  .  223 

XLVn.  The  Escape  of  the  Kite 228 

XLVni.  No  MORE  Paper-Trees 234 

XLIX.  Aerostatics 239 

L.  Thr  Skin  Balloon 246 

LL  Making  Ready  for  the  Ascent       .       .       ,  252 

LIL  Inflation  and  Failure 257 

Lin.  Another  Spell  of  Despair        ....  260 

LIV.'  The  Bean  of  Pythagoras      ....  266 

LV.  An  Aquatic  Harvest 270 

LVI.  The  Adjutants 274 

LVII.  The  Standing  Sleepers 279 

LVin.  Fritz  Among  the  Feathers  ....  283 

LIX.  Capturing  the  Storks 289 

LX.  A  Labelled  Leg 294 

LXI.  Mail-Carriers  on  Wings 298 

LXII.  Conclusion         .......  302 


THE   CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 


CHAPTER    I. 


THE    HIMALAYAS. 


Who  has  not  heard  of  the  Himalayas,  —  those  Titanic 
masses  of  mountains  that  interpose  themselves  between 
the  hot  plains  of  India  and  the  cold  table-lands  of  Thibet, 
—  a  worthy  bai'rier  between  the  two  greatest  empires  in 
the  world,  the  Mogul  and  the  Celestial?  The  veriest 
tyro  in  geography  can  tell  you  that  they  are  the  tallest 
mountains  on  the  surface  of  the  earth ;  that  their  sum- 
mits—  a  half-dozen  of  them  at  least  —  surmount  the 
sea-level  by  more  than  five  miles  of  perpendicular 
height ;  that  more  than  thirty  of  them  rise  above  twenty 
thousand  feet,  and  carry  upon  their  tops  the  eternal 
snow ! 

The  more  skilled  geographer,  or  geognosist,  could 
communicate  hundreds  of  other  interesting  facts  in  rela- 
tion to  these  majestic  mountains;  vast  volumes  might  be 
filled  with  most  attractive  details  of  them,  —  their /awwa, 
their  sylva,  and  their  flora.  But  here,  my  reader,  we 
have  only  space  to  speak  of  a  few  of  the  more  salient 
points,  that  may  enable  you  to  form  some  idea  of  the 
Titanic    grandeur   of   these   mighty  masses   of   snow- 

1  A. 


2  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

crowned  rock,  which,  towering  aloft,  frown  or  smile,  as 
the  case  may  be,  on  our  grand  empire  of  Ind. 

It  is  the  language  of  writers  to  call  the  Himalayas  a 
"  chain  of  mountains."  Spanish  geographers  would  call 
them  a  "sierra"  (saw),  —  a  phrase  which  they  have 
appHed  to  the  Andes  of  America.  Either  term  is  inap- 
propriate when  speaking  of  the  Himalayas :  for  the  vast 
tract  occupied  by  these  mountains  — over  200,000  square 
miles,  or  three  times  the  size  of  Great  Britain  —  in 
shape  bears  no  resemblance  to  a  chain.  Its  length  is 
only  six  or  seven  times  greater  than  its  breadth,  —  the 
former  being  about  a  thousand  miles,  while  the  latter  in 
many  places  extends  through  two  degrees  of  the  earth's 
latitude. 

Moreover,  from  the  western  termination  of  the  Hima- 
layas, in  the  country  of  Cabul,  to  their  eastern  declension 
near  the  banks  of  the  Burrampooter,  there  is  no  con- 
tinuity that  would  entitle  them  to  the  appellation  of  a 
"  chain  of  mountains."  Between  these  two  points  they 
are  cut  transversely  —  and  in  many  places  —  by  stu- 
pendous valleys,  that  form  the  channels  of  great  rivers, 
which,  instead  of  running  east  and  west,  as  the  moun- 
tains themselves  were  supposed  to  trend,  have  their 
courses  in  the  transverse  direction,  —  often  flowing  due 
north  or  south. 

It  is  true  that,  to  a  traveller  approaching  the  Hima- 
layas from  any  part  of  the  great  plain  of  India,  these 
mountains  present  the  appearance  of  a  single  range, 
stretching  continuously  along  the  horizon  from  east  to 
west.  This,  however,  is  a  mere  optical  illusion ;  and, 
instead  of  one  range,  the  Himalayas  may  be  regarded 
as  a  congeries  of  mountain  ridges,  covering  a  superficies 


THE   HIMALAYAS.  3 

of  200,000  square  miles,  and  running  in  as  many  differ- 
ent directions  as  tliere  are  points  in  the  compass. 

Within  the  circumference  of  this  vast  mountain  tract 
there  is  great  variety  of  climate,  soil,  and  productions. 
Among  the  lower  hills  —  those  contiguous  to  the  plains 
of  India  —  as  well  as  in  some  of  the  more  profound 
valleys  of  the  interior  —  the  flora  is  of  a  tropical  or 
subtropical  character.  The  palm,  the  tree  fern,  and 
bamboo  here  flourish  in  free  luxuriance.  Higher  up 
appears  the  vegetation  of  the  temperate  zone,  repre- 
sented by  forests  of  gigantic  oaks  of  various  species,  by 
sycamores,  pines,  walnut,  and  chestnut  trees.  Still 
higher  are  the  rhododendrons,  the  birches,  and  heaths ; 
succeeded  by  a  region  of  herbaceous  vegetation,  —  by 
slopes,  and  even  table-plains,  covered  with  rich  grasses. 
Stretching  onward  and  upward  to  the  line  of  the  eternal 
snow,  there  are  encountered  the  Gryptogamia  —  the 
lichens  and  mosses  of  Alpine  growth — just  as  they  are 
found  within  the  limits  of  the  polar  circle ;  so  that  the 
traveller,  who  passes  from  the  plains  of  India  towards 
the  high  ridges  of  the  Himalayas,  or  who  climbs  out  of 
one  of  the  deeper  valleys  up  to  some  snow-clad  summit 
that  surmounts  it,  may  experience  within  a  journey  of  a 
few  hours'  duration  every  degree  of  climate,  and  observe 
a  representative  of  every  species  of  vegetation  known 
upon  the  face  of  the  earth ! 

The  Himalayas  are  not  uninhabited.  On  the  con- 
trary, one  considerable  kingdom  (Nepaul),  with  many 
petty  states  and  communities  (as  Bhotan,  Sikhim,  Gur- 
whal,  Kumaon,  and  the  famed  >  Cashmere),  are  found 
within  their  boundaries,  —  some  enjoying  a  sort  of 
political  independence,  but  most  of  them  living  under 


4  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

the  protection  either  of  the  Anglo-Indian  empire,  on  the 
one  side,  or  that  of  China  upon  the  other.  The  inhabi- 
tants of  these  several  states  are  of  mixed  races,  and 
very  different  from  the  people  of  Hindostan.  Towards 
the  east  —  in  Bliotan  and  Sikhim  —  they  are  chiefly  of 
the  Mongolian  stock,  in  customs  and  manners  resembUng 
the  people  of  Thibet,  and,  like  them,  practising  the 
religion  of  the  Lamas.  In  the  western  Himalayas  there 
is  an  admixture  of  Ghoorka  mountaineers,  Hindoos  from 
the  south,  Sikhs  from  Lahore,  and  Mahometans  from  the 
old  empire  of  the  Moguls ;  and  here,  also,  are  to  be 
found,  in  full  profession,  the  three  great  representative 
religions  of  Asia,  —  Mahometan,  Buddhist,  and  Brah- 
min. 

The  population,  however,  is  exceedingly  small  com- 
pared with  the  surface  over  which  it  is  distributed ;  and 
there  are  many  tracts  in  the  Himalayan  hills,  thousands 
of  square  miles  in  extent,  where  no  human  being  dwells, 
—  where  no  chimney  sends  up  its  smoke.  Indeed,  there 
are  vast  tracts,  especially  among  the  high  snow-covered 
summits,  that  have  either  never  been  explored,  or  only 
very  rarely,  by  the  adventurous  hunter.  Others  there 
are  quite  inaccessible ;  and  it  is  needless  to  say,  that  the 
highest  peaks  —  such  as  Chumulari,  Kinchinjunga,  Don- 
kia,  Dawalghiri,  and  the  like  —  are  far  beyond  the  reach 
of  even  the  most  daring  climber.  Pei-haps  no  one  has 
ever  ascended  to  the  height  of  five  miles  above  the  level 
of  the  sea ;  and  it  is  a  question  whether  at  that  eleva- 
tion a  human  being  could  exist.  At  such  a  height  it  is 
probable  that  animal  life  would  become  extinct,  by 
reason  either  of  the  extreme  cold  or  the  rarity  of  the 
atmosphere. 


THE    HIMALAYAS.  0 

Though  the  Himalaya  mountains  have  been  known 
from  the  earliest  histoi'ic  times  —  for  they  are  the  Imaus 
and  Emodus  of  the  ancient  writers  —  it  is  only  within 
the  present  century  that  we  in  Europe  have  obtained 
any  definite  knowledge  of  them.  The  Portuguese  and 
Dutch  —  the  first  European  colonists  of  India — have 
told  us  very  little  about  them;  and  even  our  own 
Anglo-Indian  writers  were  long  silent  upon  this  inter- 
esting theme.  Exaggerated  accounts  of  the  hostility 
and  cruelty  of  the  Himalayan  highlanders  —  more  espe- 
cially the  Ghoorkas  —  prevented  private  explorations  ; 
and  with  the  exception  of  some  half-dozen  books,  most 
of  them  referring  to  the  western  section  of  the  Hima- 
layas, and  comparatively  valueless,  from  the  want  of 
scientific  knowledge  on  the  part  of  their  authors,  this 
vast  tract  has  remained  almost  a  terra  incognita  up  to 
the  present  time. 

Of  late,  however,  we  have  obtained  a  better  acquaint- 
ance with  this  interesting  portion  of  the  earth's  sur- 
face. The  botanist,  lured  thither  by  its  magnificent 
Jlora,  has  opened  to  us  a  new  world  of  vegetation. 
Royle  and  Hooker  have  ably  achieved  this  task.  The 
zoologist,  equally  attracted  by  its  varied  fauna,  has 
made  us  acquainted  with  new  forms  of  animal  life. 
Hodgson  and  Wallich  are  the  historians  in  this  depart- 
ment. Scarcely  less  are  we  indebted  to  the  sportsman 
and  hunter,  —  to  Markham,  Dunlop,  and  Wilson  the 
"  mountaineer." 

But  in  addition  to  these  names,  that  have  become 
fatQous  through  the  published  reports  of  their  explora- 
tions, there  are  others  that  still  remain  unrecorded. 
The  plant-hunter  —  the  humble  but  useful  commissioner 


b  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

of  the  enterprising  nurseryman  —  has  found  his  way 
into  the  Himalayas  ;  has  penetrated  their  most  remote 
gorges ;  has  climbed  their  steepest  declivities ;  and  wan- 
dered along  the  limit  of  their  eternal  snow.  In  search 
of  new  forms  of  leaf  and  flower,  he  has  forded  the 
turbid  stream,  braved  the  roaring  torrent,  dared  the 
dangerous  avalanche,  and  crossed  the  dread  crevasse  of 
the  glistening  glacier ;  and  though  no  printed  book  may 
record  his  adventurous  experience,  not  the  less  has  he 
contributed  to  our  knowledge  of  this  great  mountain 
world.  His  lessons  may  be  read  on  the  parterre,  in 
the  flowers  of  the  purple  magnolia,  the  deodar,  the 
rhododendron.  They  may  be  found  in  the  greenhouse, 
in  the  eccentric  blossoms  of  the  orchis,  and  curious 
form  of  the  screw-pine,  —  in  the  garden,  in  many  a 
valuable  root  and  fruit,  destined  erelong  to  become 
favorites  of  the  dessert-table.  It  is  ours  to  chronicle 
the  story  of  an  humble  expedition  of  tliis  kind,  —  the 
adventures  of  a  young  plant-hvmter,  the  employe  of 
an  enterprising  "  seedsman  "  well  known  in  the  world's  • 
metropolis. 


A    VIEW    FROM    OHUMULABI. 


CHAPTER    II, 


A    VIEW   FROM    CHUMULARI. 


Our  scene  lies  in  the  very  heart  of  the  Himalayas,  — 
in  that  district  of  them  least  explored  by  English  travel- 
lers, though  not  the  most  distant  from  the  Anglo-Indian 
capital,  Calcutta.  Almost  due  north  of  this  city,  and 
in  that  portion  of  the  Himalayan  ranges  embraced  by 
the  great  bend  of  the  Burrampooter,  may  be  found 
the  spot  upon  which  our  interest  is  to  be  fixed.  Liter- 
ally may  it  be  termed  a  spot,  when  compared  in  super- 
ficies with  the  vast  extent  of  wilderness  that  surrounds 
it,  —  a  wilderness  of  bleak,  barren  ridges,  of  glistening 
glaciers,  of  snow-clad  summits,  soaring  one  above  an- 
other, or  pOed  incongruously  together  like  cumuli  In 
the  sky. 

In  the  midst  of  this  chaos  of  rock,  ice,  and  snow,  Chu- 
mulari  raises  his  majestic  summit,  crowned  and  robed 
in  white,  as  becomes  his  sacred  character.  Around  are 
other  forms,  his  acolytes  and  attendants,  less  in  stature, 
but  mighty  mountains  nevertheless,  and,  like  him,  wear- 
ing the  vestment  of  everlasting  purity. 

Could  you  stand  upon  the  top  of  Chumulari,  you 
would  have  xmder  your  eye,  and  thousands  of  feet 
below  your  feet,  the  scene  of  our  narrative,  —  the  arena 
in  which  its  various  incidents  were  enacted.  Not  so 
unlike  an  amphitheatre  would  that  scene  appear,  —  only 


8  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

differing  from  one,  in  the  small  number  of  the  dramatis 
personce,  and  the  entire  absence  of  spectators. 

From  the  top  of  Chumulari,  looidng  down  among 
the  foot  hills  of  this  majestic  mountain,  you  might  be- 
hold a  valley  of  a  singular  character,  —  so  singidar  as 
at  once  to  fix  your  attention.  You  would  note  that  it 
is  of  a  regular  oval  shape ;  and  that,  instead  of  being 
bounded  by  sloping  declivities,  it  is  girt  by  an  almost 
vertical  cliff  that,  appears  to  be  continuous  all  around 
it.  This  cliff  of  dark  granitic  rock  you  might  g-uess 
with  your  eye  to  rise  several  himdi-ed  feet  sheer  from 
the  bottom  of  the  valley.  If  it  were  in  the  season  of 
summer,  you  might  further  observe,  that  receding  from 
its  brow  a  dark-colored  declivity  of  the  mountain  rises 
stUl  higher,  terminating  all  around  in  peaks  and  ridges, 
—  which,  being  above  the  snow-line  are  continually 
covered  with  the  pure  white  mantle  that  has  fallen  upon 
them  from  the  heavens. 

These  details  would  be  taken  in  at  the  first  glance ; 
and  then  your  eye  would  wander  into  the  valley  below, 
and  rest  there,  —  fixed  by  the  singularity  of  the  scene, 
and  charmed  by  its  soft  loveliness,  —  so  strongly  con- 
trasting with  the  rude  surroundings  on  which  you  had 
been  hitherto  gazing. 

The  form  of  the  valley  would  suggest  the  existence 
of  the  grand  elliptical  crater  of  some  extinct  volcano. 
But  instead  of  the  black  sulphuric  sconce,  that  you 
might  expect  to  see  strewed  over  its  base,  you  behold  a 
verdant  landscape  of  smiling  loveliness,  park-like  plains 
interposed  with  groves  and  copses,  here  and  there  a 
mound  of  rock-work,  as  if  piled  artificially  and  for 
ornament.     Around  the  cliffs  appears  a  belt  of  forest 


A   VIEW  FROM   CHTTMTILAR-I.  9 

of  darker  green ;  and  occupying  the  centre  a  limpid 
lake,  on  whose  silver  surface  at  a  certain  hour  of  the 
day  you  might  see  reflected  part  of  the  snow-crowned 
summit  on  wliich  you  are  standing,  —  the  cone  of 
Chumulari  itself. 

With  a  good  glass  you  might  distinguish  quadrupeds 
of  several  species  straying  over  the  verdant  pastures ; 
bii'ds  of  many  kinds  upon  the  wing,  and  others  disport- 
ing themselves  upon  the  surface  of  the  lake. 

You  would  be  tempted  to  look  for  a  grand  mansion. 
You  would  send  your  glance  in  every  dii'ection,  expect- 
ing to  see  chimneys  and  turrets  overtopping  the  trees ; 
but  in  this  you  would  be  disappointed. 

On  one  side  of  the  valley,  near  to  the  base  of  its 
bounding  cliff,  you  might  see  a  white  vapor  ascending 
from  the  surface  of  the  earth.  It  would  be  an  error  to 
believe  it  smoke.  It  is  not  that,  —  only  the  rime  rising 
over  a  hot-spring  bubbling  out  from  the  rocks  and 
forming  the  little  rivulet,  that,  like  a  silver  string,  con- 
nects it  with  the  lake. 

Charmed  with  the  view  of  this  lovely  valley,  you 
would  desire  to  visit  it.  You  would  descend  the  long 
slope  of  Chumulari,  and  struggling  through  the  laby- 
rinth of  rugged  foot  hills  that  surround  it,  you  would 
reach  the  brow  of  the  bounding  precipice ;  but  there 
you  must  come  to  a  halt.  No  path  leads  downward ; 
and  if  you  are  still  determined  to  set  foot  on  the  shores 
of  that  smiling  lake,  you  will  have  to  make  the  descent 
of  the  cliffs  by  means  of  a  rope  or  rope-ladder  several 
hundred  feet  in  length. 

With  comrades  to  help  you,  you  may  accomplish  this ; 
but  once  in  the  valley,  you  can  only  get  out  of  it  by 
1* 


10  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBEES. 

remounting  your  rope-ladder:  for  you  will  find  no 
other  means  of  exit. 

At  one  end  of  the  valley  you  may  perceive  a  gap  in 
the  cliffs ;  and  fancy  that  tlirough  this  you  may  make 
your  way  out  to  the  side  of  the  mountain.  The  gap 
may  be  easily  reached,  by  going  up  a  gentle  acclivity  ; 
but  having  passed  through  it,  you  will  discover  that  it 
only  guides  you  into  a  gorge,  like  the  valley  itself, 
bounded  on  both  sides  by  precipitous  cliffs.  This  gorge 
is  half  filled  by  a  glacier ;  on  the  surface  of  which  you 
may  pass  for  a  certain  distance  downward.  At  the  end 
of  that  descent  you  will  find  the  glacier  cut  by  a  deep 
crevasse,  a  hundred  feet  in  depth  and  a  hundred  in 
width.  Without  bridging  the  crevasse,  you  can  go  no 
farther;  and  if  you  did  succeed  in  bridging  it,  farther 
down  you  would  find  others  deeper  and  wider,  over 
which  it  would  be  impossible  for  you  to  pass. 

Eetiu'n  then,  and  examine  the  singular  valley  into 
which  you  have  made  your  way.  You  will  find  there 
trees  of  many  kinds,  quadi'upeds  of  many  kinds,  birds 
of  many  kinds,  and  insects  of  many  kinds  ;  you  will 
find  every  form  of  animal  life,  except  that  of  the  human 
being.  If  you  find  not  man,  however,  you  may  discover 
traces  of  him.  Close  to  the  hot-spring,  and  forming  a 
sort  of  "  lean-to "  against  the  cliff",  you  may  observe  a 
rude  hut  built  with  blocks  of  stone,  and  plastered  with 
mud  from  the  bed  of  the  rivulet.  Enter  it.  You  will 
find  it  empty,  cold,  untenanted  by  living  thing.  No 
furniture.  Stone  couches  covered  with  sedge  and  grass, 
ujDon  wliich  men  may  have  slept  or  lain,  and  two  or 
three  blocks  of  granite  upon  which  they  may  have  sat. 
That  is  all.     Some  pieces  of  skin  hanging  around  the 


/ 

A    VIEW   FROM    CHUMULARI.  11 

walls,  and  the  bones  of  animals  strewed  over  the  ground 
outside,  give  a  clew  to  the  kind  of  food  upon  which  the 
inhabitants  of  the  hut  may  have  subsisted.  Hunters 
they  must  have  been.  That  will  be  your  natural  con- 
jecture. 

But  how  did  they  get  into  this  valley,  and  how  got 
they  out  of  it  ?  Of  course,  like  yourself,  they  descended 
into  it,  and  then  ascended  out  again,  by  means  of  a 
rope-ladder. 

That  would  be  the  explanation  at  wliich  you  would 
ai'rive ;  and  it  would  be  a  satisfactory  one,  but  for  a  cir- 
cumstance that  just  now  comes  imder  your  observation. 

Scanning  the  fagade  of  the  cliff,  your  eye  is  arrested 
by  a  singular  appearance.  You  perceive  a  serried  line, 
or  rather  a  series  of  serried  lines,  running  from  the  base 
in  a  vertical  direction.  On  drawing  nearer  to  these. 
curious  objects,  you  discover  them  to  be  ladders,  the 
lowest  set  upon  the  earth,  and  reaching  to  a  ledge  upon 
which  the  second  is  rested ;  this  one  extending  to  a 
second  ledge,  on  which  the  third  ladder  finds  support ; 
and  so  on  throughout  a  whole  series  of  six. 

At  first  sight  it  would  appear  to  you  as  if  the  ci- 
devant  denizens  of  the  hut  had  made  their  exodus  from 
the  valley  by  means  of  these  ladders ;  and  such  would 
be  the  natural  conviction,  but  for  a  circumstance  that 
forbids  belief  in  this  mode  of  exit :  the  ladders  do  not 
continue  to  the  top  of  the  cliff!  A  long  space,  which 
would  require  two  or  three  more  such  ladders  to  span 
it,  still  intervenes  between  the  top  of  the  highest  and 
the  brow  of  the  precipice ;  and  this  could  not  have  been 
scaled  without  additional  ladders.  Where  are  they? 
It  is  scarcely  probable  they  had  been  drawn  up  ;  and 


12  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

had  they  fallen  back  into  the  valley,  they  would  still  bo 
there.     There  are  none  upon  the  ground. 

But  these  conjectures  do  not  require  to  be  continued. 
A  short  examination  of  the  cliff  suffices  to  convince  you 
that  the  design  of  scaling  it  by  ladders  could  not  have 
succeeded.  The  ledge  against  which  rests  the  top  of 
the  highest  must.have  been  found  too  narrow  to  support 
another ;  or  rather,  the  rocks  above  and  projecting  over 
would  render  it  impossible  to  place  a  ladder  upon  this 
ledge.  It  is  evident  that  the  scheme  had  been  tried 
and  abancfoned. 

The  very  character  of  the  attempt  proves  that  they 
who  had  made  it  must  have  been  placed  in  a  desperate 
situation,  —  imprisoned  within  that  clifF-girt  valley,  with 
no  means  of  escaping  from  it,  except  such  as  they  them- 
selves might  devise. 

Moreover,  after  a  complete  exploration  of  the  place, 
you  can  find  no  evidence  that  they  ever  did  escape  from 
their  strange  prison ;  and  your  thoughts  can  only  shape 
themselves  into  conjectures,  as  to  who  they  were  that 
had  wandered  into  this  out-of-the-way  corner  of  the 
world ;  how  they  got  into,  and  how  out  of  it ;  and, 
finally,  whether  they  ever  succeeded  in  getting  out  at 
all.  Your  conjectures  will  come  to  an  end  when  you 
have  read  the  history  of  the  Cliff-climbers. 


THE    PLANT-HUNTER   AND    HIS    COMPANIONS.        13 


CHAPTER    III. 

THE   PLANT-HUNTER    AND    HIS    COMPANIONS. 

Karl  Linden,  a  young  German  student  who  had 
taken  part  in  the  revolutionary  struggles  of  1848,  had 
by  the  act  of  banishment  sought  an  asylum  in  London. 
Like  most  refugees,  he  was  without  means  ;  but  instead 
of  giving  himself  up  to  idle  habits,  he  had  sought  and 
obtained  employment  in  one  of  those  magnificent  "  nur- 
series "  which  are  to  be  met  with  in  the  suburbs  of  the 
world's  metropolis.  His  botanical  knowledge  soon  at- 
tracted the  attention  of  his  employer,  the  proprietor  of 
the  nursery,  —  one  of  those  enterprising  and  spirited 
men,  who,  instead  of  contenting  themselves  with  merely 
cultivating  the  trees  and  flowering-plants  already  intro- 
duced into  our  gardens  and  greenhouses,  expend  large 
sums  of  money  in  sending  emissaries  to  all  parts  of  the 
earth,  to  discover  and  bring  home  other  rare  and  beau- 
tiful kinds.  • 

These  emissaries  —  botanical  collectors,  or  "  plant- 
hunters,"  as  they  may  be  called  —  in  the  pursuit  of 
their  calling  have  explored,  and  are  still  engaged  in 
exploring,  the  wildest  and  most  remote  countries  of  the 
globe,  —  such  as  the  deep,  dark  forests  upon  the  Ama- 
zon, the  Orinoco,  and  the  Oregon  in  America ;  the  hot 
equatorial  regions  of  Africa ;  the  tropical  jungles  of 
India ;  the  rich  woods  of  the  Oriental  islands ;  and,  in 


14  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

short,  wherever  there  is  a  prospect  of  discovering  and 
obtaining  new  floral  or  sylvan  beauties. 

The  exploration  of  the  Sikhim  Himalaya  by  the 
accomplished  botanist,  Hooker,  —  recorded  in  a  book 
of  travels  not  inferior  to  that  of  the  great  Humboldt,  — 
had  di-awn  attention  to  the  rich  and  varied  Jiora  of  these 
mountains  ;  and  in  consequence  of  this,  the  enterprising 
"  seedsman "  who  had  given  Karl  Linden  temporary 
employment  in  his  garden,  promoted  him  to  a  higher 
and  more  agreeable  field  of  labor,  by  sending  him  as  a 
*'  plant-hunter  "  to  the  Thibetan  Himalayas. 

Accompanied  by  his  brother,  Caspar,  the  young  bota- 
nist proceeded  to  Calcutta ;  and,  after  a  short  residence 
there,  he  set  out  for  the  Himalayas,  taking  a  direction 
almost  due  north  from  the  city  of  the  Ganges. 

He  had  provided  himself  with  a  guide,  in  the  person 
of  a  celebrated  Hindoo  hunter,  or  "  shikaree,"  called 
Ossaroo  ;  and  this  individual  was  the  sole  attendant  and 
companion  of  the  two  brothers,  with  the  exception  of  a 
large  dog,  of  the  boar-hound  species,  which  had  been 
brought  with  them  from  Europe,  and  that  answered  to 
the  name  of  Fritz. 

The  young  botanist  had  come  to  India  furnished  with 
a  letter  of  fcitroduction  to  the  manager  of  the  Botanical 
Garden  of  Calcutta,  an  establishment  of  world-wide 
renown.  There  he  had  been  hospitably  received  on  his 
arrival  in  the  Oriental  city,  and  during  his  sojourn  he 
had  spent  much  of  his  time  within  its  boundaries. 
Moreover,  the  authorities  of  the  place,  interested  in  his 
expedition,  had  given  him  all  the  information  in  their 
power  as  to  the  route  he  intended  pursuing,  —  though 
that  was  not  much,  for  the  portion  of  the  Himalayas  he 


THE    PLANT-IIUNTER    AND    HIS    COMPANIONS.        15 

was  about  to  explore  was  at  that  time  a  terra  incognita 
to  Englishmen,  even  in  the  city  of  Calcutta ! 

It  is  not  necessary  here  to  detail  the  many  adventures 
that  befell  our  plant-hunter  and  his  party  during  the 
progress  of  their  journey  towards  the  Himalayas,  and 
after  they  had  entered  within  the  grand  gorges  of  these 
mountains.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  in  pursuit  of  a  beau- 
tiful little  animal  —  a  "musk-deer"  —  they  had  gone 
up  a  gully  filled  by  one  of  those  grand  glaciers  so  com- 
mon in  the  higher  Himalayas  ;  that  the  pursuit  had  led 
them  far  up  the  ravine,  and  afterwards  conducted  them 
into  a  singular  crater-like  valley,  the  one  already  de- 
scribed;  that  once  in  this  valley,  they  could  find  no 
way  out  of  it,  but  by  the  ravine  through  which  they 
had  entered ;  and  that  on  returning  to  make  their  exit, 
they  discovered  to  their  great  consternation  that  a  cre- 
vasse in  the  glacier  over  which  they  had  passed  had 
opened  during  their  absence,  and  to  such  an  extent  as 
to  render  their  exit  impossible  ! 

They  had  endeavored  to  span  this  crevasse,  and  had 
spent  much  time  in  making  a  bridge  of  pine-trees  for 
the  purpose.  They  had  succeeded  at  length  in  gettmg 
across  the  chasm,  but  only  to  find  others  in  the  glacier 
below,  which  no  ingenuity  could  enable  them  to  get 
over. 

They  were  compelled  to  abandon  the  idea,  and  return 
again  to  the  valley,  wliich,  though  lovely  to  the  eye, 
had  now  become  hateful  to  their  thoughts,  since  they 
knew  it  to  be  their  prison. 

During  their  residence  in  the  place,  many  adventures 
befel  them  with  wild  animals  of  various  kinds.  There 
chanced  to  be  a  small  herd  of  "  yaks,"  or  grunting  oxen, 


16  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

in  the  valley,  and  these  formed  for  a  time  the  staple 
article  of  their  food.  Caspar,  who,  though  younger 
than  Karl,  was  the  more  skilled  hunter  of  the  two,  had 
a  very  narrow  escape  from  the  old  yak  bull,  though  he 
succeeded  at  length  ia  killing  the  dangerous  animal. 
Ossaroo  was  very  near  being  eaten  up  by  a  pack  of 
wUd  dogs,  every  one  of  which  he  afterwards  succeeded 
in  killing ;  and  Ossaroo  was  also  in  danger  of  being 
swallowed  up  by  an  enemy  of  a  very  different  kind,  — 
that  is,  by  a  quicksand,  into  wliich  he  had  got  his  legs 
while  engaged  in  taking  fish  out  of  a  net. 

Karl  was  not  without  his  hair-breadth  "  'scape,"  — 
having  been  chased  by  a  bear  along  a  ledge  of  the  cliff, 
from  which  he  was  compelled  to  make  a  most  perilous 
descent.  The  bear  itself  took  refuge  in  a  cave,  where 
it  was  afterwards  pursued  and  killed,  by  all  three  acting 
in  concert,  materially  assisted  by  the  dog  Fritz.  They 
had  incurred  great  risk  Lq  this  chase  of  the  bear ;  for, 
although  they  had  succeeded  in  destroying  the  formid- 
able animal,  they  lost  themselves  in  the  great  labyrin- 
thine cavern,  and  were  only  able  to  find  their  way  out 
by  making  a  fire  with  the  stocks  of  their  guns,  and 
rendering  the  bear's  grease  available  for  candles, — 
which  fortunately  enabled  them  to  extricate  themselves. 

During  the  pursuit  of  the  bear,  and  their  subsequent 
endeavors  to  find  their  way  out,  our  adventurers  had 
been  struck  by  the  enormous  dimensions  of  the  cavern 
in  which  the  animal  had  taken  refuge ;  and,  in  the  hope 
that  some  of  its  great  galleries  might  lead  out  through 
the  mountain,  and  offer  them  a  way  of  escape  from  the 
valley,  they  had  made  torches,  and  explored  it  from 
end  to  end.     It  was  all  to  no  purpose ;  and,  becoming 


THE   PLANT-HUNTER   AND    HIS    COMPANIONS.       17 

satisfied  that  there  was  no  exit  by  way  of  the  cavern, 
they  had  at  length  desisted  from  the  search. 

From  this  point  shall  we  continue,  in  more  circura- 
stantial  detail,  the  history  of  their  attempts  to  escape 
from  their  mountain  prison,  which  they  were  now  con- 
vinced could  only  be  done  by  climbing  the  cliff  that 
encircled  it. 


18  THE    CLIPF-CLIMBERS. 


CHAPTER    IV. 


HOME    TO    THE    HUT. 


Ebierging  from  the  cave  after  their  fruitless  ex- 
ploration, all  three  —  Karl,  Caspar,  and  Ossaroo  —  sat 
down  upon  the  rocks  in  front  of  the  cliff,  and  for  some 
time  remained  sUent.  The  looks  of  all  betokened  a 
deep  and  hopeless  despair.  The  same  thought  was 
passing  in  their  minds.  A  painful  thought  it  was, — 
that  they  were  completely  cut  off  from  all  communica- 
tion with  the  world,  and  might  never  again  look  on 
human  faces,  save  their  own! 

Caspar  was  the  first  to  give  expression  to  this  gloomy 
foreboding. 

"  0  brother  !  "  groaned  he,  addressing  himself  to  Karl, 
who  sat  nearest  to  him,  "  O,  it  is  an  awful  fate  !  Here 
must  we  live,  here  must  we  die,  far  away  from  home, 
far  away  from  the  world  —  alone  —  alone  ! " 

"  No,"  replied  Karl,  deeply  moved  by  the  distress  of 
his  brother,  — "  no,  Caspar,  not  alone ;  God  is  with  us. 
Let  Him  be  our  world." 

However  Caspar  in  his  conscience  might  have  ac- 
knowledged the  justice  of  the  admonition,  it  failed  to 
cheer  him.  Indeed,  he  coidd  not  help  perceiving  that 
Karl  had  uttered  the  speech  half  doubtingly,  and  with 
the  design  of  affording  consolation.  Moreover,  the 
effort   which    Kai-1    was   making   to   look   hopeful   and 


HOME    TO    THE    HUT.  19 

cheerful  was  evidently  constrained,  and  only  the  more 
convinced  his  companions  that  neither  hope  nor  joy  was 
in  his  breast 

To  Karl's  consolatory  words  his  brother  made  no  re- 
joinder. Ossaroo,  however,  gave  vent  to  his  thoughts 
by  an  ambiguous  shake  of  the  head,  and  a  brief  speech 
characteristic  of  that  belief  in  fatalism  peculiar  to  his 
race. 

"Ah,  sahibs,"  said  he,  addressing  himself  to  both, 
"if  the  Great  Sahib  in  the  sky  will  we  go  out  from 
here,  we  go,  —  if  He  no  will,  we  no  go,  —  nivvamore." 

Ossaroo's  speech,  however  compatible  with  a  true 
faith,  did  not  contribute  much  towards  cheering  the 
spirits  of  the  party ;  and  for  another  long  interval  aU 
remained  silent. 

Caspar  and  Ossaroo  appeared  completely  prostrated 
by  the  new  disappointment.  Karl,  on  the  other  hand, 
seemed  less  disposed  to  view  things  despairingly ;  and 
as  he  sat,  was  evidently  engaged  in  active  thought. 

After  a  wliile  his  companions  observed  this,  though 
neither  made  any  attempt  to  rouse  him  from  his  reverie. 
They  guessed  that  whatever  was  passing  in  his  mind 
would  soon  be  communicated  to  them. 

They  were  right  in  this  conjecture,  for  in  a  few 
minutes  Karl  terminated  the  sUence  by  addressing  them. 

"  Come ! "  said  he,  speaking  in  a  tone  of  encourage- 
ment, "  we  are  wrong  in  so  soon  yielding  to  despair. 
Let  us  not  give  up  till  we  are  beaten  at  all  points.  I 
have  told  you  what  my  object  was  when  I  first  mounted 
upon  that  ledge,  and  discovered  the  cave  and  its  surly 
occupant  the  bear,  I  thought  then,  that  if  we  could 
find  a  series  of  ledges  one  above  another,  and  sufficient- 


20  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

ly  near  each  other,  we  might  plant  ladders  upon  them, 
and  so  reach  the  top.  You  see  that  there  is  such  a 
succession  of  ledges — just  before  your  faces  there. 
Unfortunately  there  is  one  of  the  spaces  high  up  yon- 
der —  where  the  cliff  is  darkest  —  that  cannot  be  less 
than  sixty  or  seventy  feet  in  width.  I  have  ascertained 
that  by  comparing  it  with  the  height  from  the  ground 
to  the  cave,  —  which  I  had  just  finished  measuring  when 
I  met  the  bear.  It  would  be  impossible  for  us  to  make 
a  ladder  that  length,  —  or  even  to  hoist  it  up  there  if 
made,  —  so  that  all  thought  of  scaling  the  cliif  at  this 
point  must  be  given  up." 

"  Perhaps,"  interposed  Caspar,  catching  at  Karl's  idea, 
"  there  may  be  some  other  part  of  the  precipice  where 
the  ledges  are  nearer  to  each  other?  Did  you  examme 
it  all  around?" 

"  No.  I  had  got  no  farther  than  this  place  when  I 
met  Master  Bruin;  and,  as  you  know,  our  adventures 
with  him,  and  our  exploration  of  the  cave,  have  taken 
up  our  time  ever  since,  and,  indeed,  driven  the  design 
of  the  ladders  quite  out  of  my  head.  Now,  however, 
we  may  return  to  it ;  and  our  next  move  will  be  to  go 
all  round,  and  see  whether  a  better  place  may  not  be 
discovered.  To-night  it  is  too  late.  It  already  begins 
to  darken,  and  we  must  have  clear  daylight  for  such  a 
purpose.  Let  us  go  home  to  our  hut,  and  have  some 
supper,  and  then  go  to  rest,  —  having  first  prayed  to 
Him  for  success.  We  may  rise  in  better  spu'its,  and 
continue  our  examination  in  the  morning." 

To  this  proposal  there  was  no  objection  on  the  part 
of  either  Caspar  or  Ossaroo.  On  the  contrary,  the 
mention   of  supper  —  both   being   very   hungry  —  had 


HOME    TO    THE    HUT.  21 

caused  them  to  start  to  their  feet  with  remarkable  alac- 
rity, and  Karl,  taking  the  lead,  they  followed  him, 
Fritz  in  turn  following  them. 

On  arriving  at  their  hut,  supper  was  cooked,  and 
eaten  with  that  zest  which  hunger  always  gives,  even 
to  the  coarsest  viands ;  and,  having  carried  out  the 
remaining  part  of  the  programme  which  Karl  had  sug- 
gested—  that  is,  the  offering  up  a  prayer  for  success 
on  the  morrow — the  trio  "sought  their  grass-covered 
couches  with  a  feeling  of  renewed  hopefulness. 


22  THE    CUFF-CLIMBERS. 


CHAPTER   V. 


A   MIDNIGHT    INTRUDER. 


They  had  been  asleep  several  hours  when  all  three 
were  suddenly  awakened  by  the  barking  of  Fritz. 
During  night  hours  the  faithful  creatare  stayed  habitu- 
ally within  the  hut,  —  where  he  also  had  his  bed  of 
dry  grass.  On  hearing  any  unusual  noise  without,  he 
would  rush  forth  and  prowl  about  for  a  while ;  and, 
after  satisfying  himself  that  there  was  no  enemy  in 
the  neighborhood,  would  return  quietly  to  his  lair. 

Fritz  was  far  from  being  a  noisy  dog.  He  had  seen 
too  much  servise,  and  gathered  too  much  wisdom  to 
waste  his  breath  in  idle  barking ;  and  it  was  only  upon 
grand  and  important  occasions  that  he  condescended  to 
give  tongue.  Then,  however,  his  bark  —  or  bay,  it 
should  rather  be  termed  —  was  terrific. 

On  the  occasion  in  question  —  which  happened  just 
about  the  hour  of  midnight  —  the  three  sleepers  were 
suddenly  awakened  by  his  expansive  "yowl,"  that  filled 
the  whole  valley,  and,  reverberating  from  the  cliffs,  ap- 
peared continuous.  The  dog,  after  uttering  this  warn- 
ing note,  had  rushed  out  of  the  hut,  —  which  had  no 
door  to  it,  —  and  it  was  from  some  place  down  near 
the  lake  that  his  barking  appeared  to  proceed. 

"  What  can  it  be  ?  "  was  the  prompt  and  very  natural 
inquiry  of  the  three  individuals,  whom  Fritz  had  so 
abruptly  awakened  from  their  slumbers. 


A    MIDNIGUT    INTRUDER.  23 

"  Something  Fritz  is  frightened  at,"  said  Caspar,  who 
knew  the  dog's  nature  better  than  either  of  the  others. 
"  He  don't  bark  that  way  at  any  sort  of  game  that  he 
knows  he  can  conquer.  It 's  some  animal  that 's  a 
match  for  him,  I  warrant.  If  the  old  yak  bull  were 
still  alive,  I  should  say  it  was  he." 

"  There  may  be  tigers  in  this  valley ;  I  never  thought 
of  that,"  rejoined  Karl.  "  Now  that  I  do  think  of  it," 
continued  he,  drawing  upon  the  reminiscences  of  his 
zoological  reading,  "  it  is  quite  probable.  People  be- 
lieve the  tiger  to  be  exclusively  an  inhabitant  of  trop- 
ical or  subtropical  regions.  That  is  an  error.  On  this 
continent  (the  speaker  was  in  Asia)  the  royal  Bengal 
tiger  ranges  at  least  as  far  north  as  the  latitude  of  Lon- 
don. I  know  he  is  found  on  the  Amoor  as  high  as  the 
fiftieth  degree." 

"  Mercy  on  us  ! "  broke  in  Caspar ;  "  it  may  be  a 
tiger,  and  we  have  never  thought  of  having  a  door  to 
our  hut !     If  it  should  be  one  —  " 

Here  the  hypothetic  si^eech  of  Caspar  was  abruptly 
brought  to  a  conclusion  by  a  singular  noise  from  with- 
out, which  was  heard  mingling  in  chorus  with  the  bay- 
ing of  Fritz. 

The  noise  in  question  bore  some  resemblance  to  the 
sound  of  a  trumpet,  only  sharper  and  more  treble  in  its 
character.  It  was  in  effect  more  like  the  squeak  of  a 
penny  trumpet  than  the  real  article  ;  and  yet,  withal, 
there  was  something  terrifying  in  the  sound. 

It  must  have  terrified  Fritz  :  for  the  moment  after  it 
was  heard,  the  dog  came  rushing  back  into  the  hut,  as 
if  pursued  by  a  legion  of  horned  bulls,  and  though  he 
kept  up  his  angry  baying,  he  appeared  altogether  disin- 
clined to  venture  out  again. 


24  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

Just  then  the  singular  noise  was  heard  outside  the 
door,  —  something  between  a  shriek  and  a  whistle,  — 
and  this  time  with  a  far  more  terrifying  effect,  since 
whatever  produced  it  —  bird,  beast,  or  man  —  was  evi- 
dently near,  and  still  approaching  nearer. 

Of  the  three  individuals  within  the  hut,  only  one  had 
ever  before  heard  a  sound  exactly  similar  to  that.  Os- 
saroo  was  the  one.  The  old  sliikaree  recognized  the 
noise  the  moment  it  reached  his  ears,  and  knew  per- 
fectly well  the  sort  of  instrument  that  must  have  been 
producing  it ;  but  he  was  hindered  for  a  time  from  pro- 
claiming his  knowledge,  by  surprise,  as  well  as  a  strong 
feeling  of  terror  at  hearing  such  a  soimd  in  such  a 
place. 

"  By  de  wheels  ob  Juggernaut  car  !  "  he  gasped  out. 
"  Can't  be  —  can't  be  ;  no  possible  him  be  here." 

"  Who  ?  What  ?  "  demanded  Karl  and  Caspar  in  a 
breath. 

"  See,  sahibs  !  it  him  —  it  him  !  "  hurriedly  rejoined 
the  Hindoo,  in  a  sort  of  shrieking  whisper.  "  We  all 
perish  —  it  him  —  it  him  —  de  god  —  de  mighty  —  de 
terrible  — " 

There  was  no  light  within  the  hovel,  except  a  faint 
glimmer  from  the  moon  shining  brightly  enough  out- 
side ;  but  it  did  not  require  any  light  to  tell  that  the 
shikaree  was  frightened  pretty  nearly  out  of  his  senses. 
His  companions  could  discover  by  his  voice  that  he  had 
suddenly  changed  position,  and  was  retreating  back- 
ward to  that  corner  of  the  hut  farthest  from  the  door- 
way. At  the  same  time  his  words  reached  them  in 
whispers,  cautioning  them  to  lie  close  and  keep  silent. 

Both,  without  knowing   what  the   danger   was,   of 


A   MIDNIGHT   INTRUDER.  25 

course  obeyed  injunctions  thus  emphatically  delivered, 
and  remauied  sitting  up  on  their  couches  without  utter- 
ing a  word.  Ossaroo,  after  having  delivered  his  cau- 
tioning speeches,  kept  equally  silent. 

Once  more  the  strange  sound  fell  upon  their  ears, 
this  time  as  if  the  instrument  that  produced  it  had  been 
thrust  into  the  doorway  of  the  hovel.  At  the  same 
instant  the  turf  outside,  hitherto  glistening  under  a 
bright  moonlight,  became  darkened  by  the  shadow  of 
an  enormous  creature,  as  if  the  queen  of  night  had  sud- 
denly disappeared  behind  the  blackest  of  clouds  !  Still 
the  light  could  be  seen  beyond,  and  the  moon  was  shin- 
ing. It  was  no  cloud  that  had  obscured  her,  but  some 
vast  body  moving  over  the  earth,  and  which,  having 
come  up  to  the  front  of  the  hovel,  was  there  halting. 

Karl  and  Caspar  fancied  they  could  see  a  gigantic 
living  form,  with  huge,  thick  limbs,  standing  outside  ; 
but  indeed  both  were  as  much  terrified  by  the  appari- 
tion as  Ossaroo  himself,  though  perhaps  for  a  different 
reason. 

Fritz  must  have  been  as  much  frightened  as  any  of 
the  four,  and  fear  had  produced  ujDon  him  an  effect  ex- 
actly similar  to  that  it  had  produced  upon  Ossaroo.  It 
kept  him  silent.  Cowering  in  a  corner,  Fritz  was  now 
as  quiet  as  if  he  had  been  born  a  voiceless  dingo. 

This  speechless  trance  seemed  to  have  its  influence 
upon  the  awe-inspiring  shadow  outside  the  door ;  for, 
after  giving  utterance  to  another  specimen  of  shrill  pip- 
ing, it  withdrew  with  as  much  silence  as  if  it  had  been 
but  the  shadow  it  appeared. 

Caspar's  curiosity  had  become  too  strong  to  be  kept 
any  longer  under  the  control  of  his  fears.     As  soon  as 

2 


26  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

the  strange  intruder  was  seen  moYing  away  from  the 
hut  he  stole  forward  to  the  entrance,  and  looked  out. 
Karl  was  not  slow  in  following  him ;  and  Ossaroo  also 
ventured  from  his  hiding-place. 

A  dark  mass  —  in  form  like  a  quadi'uped,  bvit  one  of 
gigantic  size  —  could  be  seen  going  off  in  the  direction 
of  the  lake.  It  moved  in  majestic  silence  ;  but  it  could 
have  been  no  shadow,  for,  on  crossing  the  stream,  — 
near  the  point  where  the  latter  debouched  into  the  lake, 
—  the  plashing  of  its  feet  could  be  heard  as  it  waded 
through  the  water,  and  eddies  could  be  seen  upon  the 
calm  sm-face.  A  simple  shadow  would  not  have  made 
such  a  commotion  as  that. 

"  Sahibs,"  said  Ossaroo,  in  a  tone  of  mysterious  grav- 
ity, "  he  be  one  ob  two  ting.  He  eider  be  de  god  Brah- 
ma, or  —  " 

"  Or  what  ?  "  demanded  Caspar. 

"  An  ole  rosrue." 


A   TALK  ABOUT   ELEPHANTS.  27 


CHAPTER  VI. 

A   TALK   ABOUT   ELEPHANTS. 

"An  old  rogue?"  said  Caspar,  repeating  the  words 
of  the  shikaree.     "  Wliat  do  you  mean  by  that,  Ossy  ?  " 

"  What  you  Feringhee,  sahib,  call  rogue  elephant." 

"  O,  an  elephant !  "  echoed  Karl  and  Caspar,  both  con- 
siderably relieved  at  this  natural  explanation  of  what  had 
appeared  so  like  a  supernatural  apparition. 

"  Certainly  the  thing  looked  like  one,"  continued  Cas- 
par, 

"  But  how  could  an  elephant  enter  tliis  valley  ?  " 

Ossaroo  could  not  answer  this  question.  He  was 
himself  equally  puzzled  by  the  appearance  of  the  huge 
quadruped,  and  stUl  rather  inclined  to  the  belief  that  it 
was  some  one  of  his  trinity  of  Brahminee  gods,  that  had 
for  the  nonce  assumed  the  elephantine  form.  For  that 
reason  he  made  no  attempt  to  explain  the  presence  of 
such  an  animal  in  the  valley. 

"  It  is  possjible  for  one  to  have  come  up  here  from  the 
lower  country,"  remarked  Karl,  reflectively. 

"  But  how  could  he  get  into  the  valley  ? "  again  in- 
quired Caspar. 

"  In  the  same  way  as  we  got  in  ourselves,"  was  Karl's 
reply ;  "  up  the  glacier  and  through  the  gorge." 

"  But  the  crevasse  that  hinders  us  from  getting  out  ? 
You  forget  that,  brother.  An  elephant  could  no  more 
cross  it  than  he  oould  fly  ;  surely  not !  " 


28  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

"  Surely  not,"  rejoined  Karl.  "  I  did  not  say  that  he 
covdd  have  crossed  the  crevasse." 

"  O,  you  mean  that  he  may  have  come  up  here  before 
we  did?" 

"  Exactly  so.  If  it  be  an  elephant  we  have  seen,  — 
and  what  else  can  it  be?"  pursued  Karl,  no  longer 
yielding  to  a  belief  in  the  supernatural  character  of 
their  nocturnal  visitant,  —  "  it  must  of  course  have  got 
into  the  valley  before  us.  The  wonder  is  our  having 
seen  no  signs  of  such  an  animal  before.  You,  Caspar, 
have  been  about  more  than  any  of  us.  Did  you  never, 
in  your  rambles,  observe  anything  like  an  elephant's 
track?" 

"  Never.  It  never  occurred  to  me  to  look  for  such  a 
thing.  Who  would  have  thought  of  a  great  elephant 
ha,ving  climbed  up  here?  One  would  fancy  such  un- 
wieldy creatui-es  quite  incapable  of  ascending  a  moun- 
tain." 

"  Ah !  there  you  w:ould  be  in  error :  for,  singular  as 
it  may  appear,  the  elephant  is  a  wonderful  climber,  and 
can  make  his  way  almost  anywhere  that  a  man  can  go. 
It  is  a  fact,  that  in  the  island  of  Ceylon  the  wild  ele- 
phants are  often  found  upon  the  top  of  Adam's  Peak, 
—  to  scale,  which  is  trying  to  the  nerves  of  the  stoutest 
travellers.  It  would  not  be  surprising  to  find  one  here. 
Rather,  I  may  say,  it  is  not:  for  now  I  feel  certain 
what  we  have  just  seen  is  an  elephant,  since  it  can  be 
nothing  else.  He  may  have  entered  this  valley  before 
us,  —  by  straying  up  the  glacier  as  we  did,  and  crossing 
the  chasm  by  the  rock  bridge,  —  which  I  know  he  could 
have  done  as  well  as  we.  Or  else,"  continued  Karl,  in 
his  endeavor  to  account  for  the  presence  of  the  huge 


A    TALK    ABOUT    ELEPHANTS.  29 

creature,  "  he  may  have  come  here  long  ago,  even  be- 
fore there  was  any  crevasse.  What  is  there  improbable 
in  his  having  been  here  many  years,  —  jDerhaps  all  his 
life,  and  that  may  be  a  hundred  years  or  more  ?  " 

"  I  thought,"  said  Caspar,  "  that  elephants  were  only 
found  on  the  plams,  where  the  vegetation  is  tropical 
and  luxuriant." 

"  That  is  another  popular  error,"  replied  Karl.  "  So 
far  from  affectmg  tropical  plams,  the  elephant  prefers 
to  dwell  high  up  on  the  mountains ;  and  whenever  he 
has  the  opportunity,  he  climbs  thither.  He  likes  a 
moderately  cool  atmosphere,  —  where  he  may  be  less 
persecuted  by  flies  and  other  troublesome  insects :  since, 
notwithstanding  his  great  strength  and  the  thickness  of 
his  hide,  so  small  a  creature  as  a  fly  can  give  him  the 
gi-eatest  annoyance.  Like  the  tiger,  he  is  by  no  means 
exclusively  a  tropical  animal ;  but  can-  live,  and  thrive 
too,  in  a  cool,  elevated  region,  or  in  a  high  latitude  of 
the  temperate  zone." 

Karl  again  expressed  surprise  that  none  of  them  had 
before  that  time  observed  any  traces  of  this  gigantic 
quadruped,  that  must  have  been  their  neighbor  ever 
since  the  commencement  of  their  involuntary  residence 
in  the  valley.  Of  course  this  surprise  was  fully  shared 
by  Caspar.  Ossaroo  participated  in  it,  but  only  to  a 
very  slight  degree.  The  shikaree  was  still  inclined  to- 
wards indulging  in  his  superstitious  belief,  that  the  crea- 
ture they  had  seen  was  not  of  the  earth,  but  some  ap- 
parition of  Brahma  or  Vishnu. 

Without  attempting  to  combat  this  absurd  fancy,  his 
companions  continued  to  search  for  an  explanation  of 
the  strange  circumstance  of  their  not  having  sooner 
encountered  the  elephant. 


30  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

"After  all,"  suggested  Caspar,  "there  is  nothing  so 
strange  about  it.  There  are  many  large  tracts  of  the 
valley  we  have  not  explored ;  for  instance,  that  wide 
stretch  of  black  forest  that  lies  at  its  upper  end.  Nei- 
ther of  us  has  ever  been  through  there  since  the  first 
two  days,  when  we  followed  the  deer  all  round,  and 
went  afterwards  to  examine  the  cliff.  For  myself,  I 
never  strayed  that  way  while  hunting,  —  because  I 
always  found  the  game  in  the  open  grounds  near  the 
lake.  Now  the  elephant  may  have  his  lair  in  that  piece 
of  forest,  and  only  come  out  at  night.  As  for  tracks, 
no  doubt  there  are  plenty,  but  I  never  thought  of  look- 
ing for  them.  You  know,  brother,  we  have  been  too 
busy  in  making  our  tree-bridge,  and  afterwards  explor- 
ing the  cavern,  to  think  of  much  else." 

Karl  admitted  the  truth  of  these  observations ;  for 
it  was  as  Caspar  had  alleged.  During  the  whole  time 
of  their  residence  in  the  valley,  the  minds  of  all  thi'ee, 
filled  with  anxiety  about  the  future,  had  been  keenly 
bent  upon  devising  some  means  of  escape ;  and  on  this 
account  they  had  given  very  little  attention  to  anything 
that  did  not  in  some  way  contribute  to  that  end.  Even 
Caspar,  in  his  hunting  excursions,  had  not  gone  over 
one  half  of  the  valley ;  nor  had  these  excursions  been 
very  numerous.  In  three  or  four  days  he  had  procured 
as  much  meat  as  was  necessary.  This  had  been  care- 
fully cured  by  Ossaroo,  and  formed  the  staple  of  their 
daily  food.  Only  upon  rare  occasions  were  the  guns 
afterwards  used  to  procm-e  a  little  fresh  provision, — 
such  as  a  brace  of  wild  ducks  from  the  lake,  or  one  of 
the  smaller  game  animals  which  could  be  found  almost 
any  morning  within  gunshot  distance  of  the  hut.     For 


A   TALK   ABOUT   ELEPHANTS.  31 

these  reasons  many  parts  of  tlie  valley  had  been  left 
unvisited ;  and  it  was  deemed  possible  enough  for  even 
a  great  elephant  to  have  been  all  the  time  dwelhng 
within  its  boundaries,  unseen  by  any  of  the  party. 

Indulging  in  these  conjectures,  all  three  remained 
awake  for  more  than  an  hour;  but  as  the  subject  of 
their  speculations  appeared  to  have  gone  altogether 
away,  they  gradually  came  to  the  conclusion  that  he 
was  not  going  to  return  at  least  for  that  night,  —  and 
their  confidence  being  thus  restored,  they  once  more 
betook  themselves  to  sleep,  —  resolved  in  future  to  keep 
a  sharp  lookout  for  the  dangerous  neighbor  that  had 
60  unexpectedly  presented  himself  to  their  view. 


32  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBEKS. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


RE-STOCKING   THE    GUNS. 


Next  morning  all  three  were  astir  betimes,  and  out 
of  the  hut  by  the  earliest  light  of  day.  Karl  and 
Caspar  were  anxious  to  obtain  more  definite  information 
about  the  elephant,  whose  existence  Ossaroo  was  still 
inclined  to  doubt.  Indeed,  with  the  exception  of  the 
three  or  four  shrieking  whistles  to  which  the  animal 
had  given  utterance,  so  silently  and  mysteriously  had 
he  come  and  departed,  that  they  might  almost  have 
fancied  the  whole  thing  a  dream. 

But  such  an  immense  creature  could  not  move  about, 
without  leaving  some  traces  of  his  presence ;  and  as 
he  had  crossed  the  stream,  or  rather  a  little  embayment 
of  the  lake  into  which  the  stream  emptied  itself,  no 
doubt  his  tracks  would  be  found  on  the  sandy  shore. 

As  soon,  therefore,  as  the  day  broke,  all  three  started 
for  the  spot  where  the  creature  had  been  seen  to  cross. 

On  reaching  it,  they  could  no  longer  doubt  that  an 
elephant  had  paid  them  a  visit.  Huge  footprints  — 
nearly  as  big  as  the  bottom  of  a  bushel  measja-e  —  were 
deeply  indented  in  the  soft  sand ;  and  looking  across  the 
"  straits  "  (for  so  they  were  in  the  habit  of  calling  the 
narrow  mouth  of  the  bay),  they  could  see  other  similar 
tracks  on  the  opposite  shore,  where  the  animal  had 
waded  out. 


KE-STOCKING    THE    GUNS.  33 

Ossaroo  was  no  longer  doubtful  as  to  the  character 
of  the  creature  that  had  made  those  tracks.  He  had 
hunted  elephants  in  the  jungles  of  Bengal,  and  knew 
all  the  peculiarities  of  the  grand  quadruped.  Such 
footmarks  as  were  now  under  his  eyes  could  not  have 
been  made  by  a  mere  visionary  animal,  but  only  by  a 
real  elephant  in  the  flesh. 

"  And  one  of  the  biggest  kind,"  asserted  the  shikaree, 
now  speaking  in  full  confidence,  and  declaring,  at  the 
same  time,  that  he  could  tell  its  height  to  an  inch. 

"  How  can  you  do  that  ? "  asked  Caspar,  in  some 
surprise. 

"  Me  berra  easy  tell,  young  sahib,"  replied  Ossaroo  ; 
"only  need  takee  size  ob  de  rogue's  foot.  Dis  way, 
sahibs." 

Saying  this,  the  shikaree  drew  forth  from  one  of 
his  pockets  a  piece  of  string,  and  choosing  one  of  the 
tracks  which  had  made  the  clearest  impression,  he 
carefully  applied  the  string  around  its  outer  edge.  In 
this  way  the  circumference  of  the  elephant's  foot  was 
obtaioed. 

"  Now,  sahibs,"  said  Ossaroo,  holding  the  string  be- 
tween his  fingers,  —  that  portion  of  it  which  had  been 
applied  around  the  footprmt,  —  ^Hwice  the  length  of 
dis  reachee  to  the  top  of  he  shoulder ;  that  how  Ossaroo 
know  he  biggee  elephant." 

The  circumference  of  the  foot  thus  measured  being 
nearly  six  feet,  it  would  follow,  from  the  rule  laid  down 
by  the  shikaree,  that  the  elephant  in  question  was  nearly 
twelve  feet  high,  and  this  Karl  knew  to  be  one  of  the 
largest.  Nor  did  Karl  question  the  correctness  of  the 
deduction,  for  he  had  often  heard,  from  hunters  whose 

2*  0 


34  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

•word  was  not  to  be  doubted,  that  the  height  of  an  ele- 
phant is  exactly  twice  the  circumference  of  his  foot. 

Ossaroo  having  now  yielded  up  his  belief  that  the 
elephant  was  one  of  his  gods  in  disguise,  declared  with 
full  confidence  that  the  animal  was  a  rogue.  Karl 
needed  no  explanation  of  w!^at  was  meant  by  this.  He 
knew  that  the  rogue  elephant  is  an  old  male  who  for 
some  reason  or  other  —  perhaps  for  bad  behavior  —  has 
had  the  cold  shoulder  given  him  by  the  rest  of  the  herd, 
and  from  whose  association  he  has  been  driven  away. 
Thus  cut  by  his  former  acquaintances,  he  is  compelled 
to  lead  a  solitary  life,  the  consequence  of  which  is,  that 
he  becomes  exceedingly  spiteful  and  morose  in  his  dis- 
position, and  will  not  only  attack  any  other  animal  that 
may  chance  to  cross  his  j)ath,  but  will  even  seek  them 
out,  as  if  for  the  mere  purpose  of  indulging  in  a  spirit 
of  revenge  !  There  are  many  such  in  the  jungles  of 
India,  as  well  as  in  Africa ;  and  since  man  himself  is 
not  excej^ted  from  this  universal  hostility,  a  rogue  ele- 
phant is  regarded  as  an  exceedingly  dangerous  creature 
in  the  neighborhood  where  he  takes  up  his  abode. 
There  are  many  instances  recorded  —  and  well  authen- 
ticated, too  —  where  human  beings  have  been  sacrificed 
to  the  fury  of  these  gigantic  monsters ;  and  cases  are 
known  where  a  rogue  elephant  has  purposely  placed 
himself  in  waiting  by  the  side  of  a  frequefited  path, 
with  the  object  of  destroying  the  imwary  traveller  !  In 
the  valley  of  the  Dheira  Doon,  an  elephant  of  this  class 
—  one,  too,  that  had  once  been  tamed,  but  had  esca23ed 
from  his  servitude  —  is  known  to  have  taken  the  lives 
of  nearly  twenty  unfortunate  people  before  his  destruc- 
tion could  be  effected. 

Well  knowing  these  proclivities  on  the  part  of  the 


KE-STOCKING    THE    GUNS.  35 

rogue,  Ossaroo  at  once  counselled  caution  in  the  future 
movements  of  all,  —  a  counsel  which  Karl  was  too  pru- 
dent to  reject,  and  even  the  bold,  rash  Caspar  did  not 
think  it  proper  to  dissent  from. 

It  was  resolved,  therefore,  before  continumg  their 
projected  exploration  of  the  cliffs,  to  set  their  weapons 
once  more  in  proper  order,  against  any  chance  of  an 
encounter  with  the  elephant. 

Their  guns  had  to  be  re-stocked,  and  a  new  handle 
put  into  the  axe,  —  as  well  as  a  shaft  into  the  boar-spear 
of  Ossaroo,  —  for  all  the  woodwork  of  these  weapons 
had  been  broken  up  and  burnt  into  ashes  in  the  manu- 
facture of  the  candles  of  bear's  grease  that  had  lighted 
them  out  of  the  cave. 

The  search  after  the  ledges  must  necessarily  be  post- 
poned, until  they  could  go  upon  that  errand  properly 
armed  and  equipped  against  any  enemy  that  might 
cjipose  their  progress. 

Having  come  to  this  wise  determination,  they  re- 
turned to  their  hut,  kindled  a  fire,  cooked  breakfast, 
and  having  desjiatched  the  meal,  at  once  set  about  se- 
lecting pieces  of  wood  for  the  various  purposes  for 
which  they  were  required. 

They  had  no  difficulty  in  procuring  just  what  was 
wanted:  for  the  valley  contained  many  valuable  sorts 
of  timber ;  and  several  kinds  that  had  been  already  cut 
for  other  purposes,  now  well  seasoned  and  ready  to 
hand,  were  found  lying  about  the  hut. 

Setting  about  their  work  in  earnest,  and  laboring  dili- 
gently from  morning  to  night,  —  and  even  into  the  night 
hours,  —  they  knew'  they  would  not  be  long  in  accom- 
plishing a  task  so  trifling  as  the  stocking  of  a  gun,  or 
putting  the  handle  to  a  boar-spear. 


36  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBEBS. 


.     CHAPTER  VIII. 


rNSPECTING    THE    CLIFFS. 


Working  diligently  with  their  kBives  two  days  suf- 
ficed to  make  guns,  axe,  and  spear  as  good  as  ever. 
Ossaroo  also  made  himself  a  new  bow  and  a  full  quiver 
of  arrows. 

On  the  third  morning,  after  breakfasting,  all  tkree  set 
out  with  the  determination  not  to  leave  any  portion  of 
the  cliff  unexamined. 

The  part  which  lay  between  their  hut  and  the  cave 
Karl  had  already  scrutinized  with  great  care ;  so  they 
went  direct  to  the  point  where  he  had  left  off,  and  there 
commenced  their  new  survey. 

It  is  true  they  had  already  examined  the  cliffs  all 
around ;  but  this  was  just  after  they  arrived  in  the  val- 
ley, and  the  purpose  of  that  exploration  was  very  differ- 
ent from  that  of  the  present  one. 

Then  they  were  only  looking  for  a  place  by  which 
they  might  climb  out ;  and  the  idea  of  making  ladders 
had  not  occurred  to  them. 

Xow  that  this  scheme  had  suggested  itself,  they 
entered  upon  their  second  survey  with  the  view  of 
ascertaining  whether  it  was  practicable  or  possible. 
Consequently,  they  went  in  search  of  facts  of  a  differ- 
ent nature,  —  namely,  to  see  if  there  existed  a  series  of 
ledges,  one  above  another,  that  could  be  spanned  by  an 


INSPECTING   THE    CLIFFS.  37 

equal  number  of  such  ladders  as  they  might  be  able  to 
construct. 

That  they  could  make  ladders  of  a  prodigious  length 

—  allowing  sufficient  time  for  the  execution  of  the  work 

—  all  felt  confident.  They  knew  that  the  Thibet  pine- 
trees  —  the  same  sort  as  they  had  used  in  making  the 
bridge  for  the  glacier  crevasse  —  grew  in  great  numbers 
not  far  from  their  hut;  and  by  selecting  some  of  the 
slenderest  trunks  of  these,  they  would  have  the  sides  of 
as  many  ladders  as  they  might  want,  almost  ready  made, 
and  each  forty  or  fifty  feet  in  length. 

K  there  should  only  be  discovered  a  series  of  ledges, 
with  not  more  than  forty  feet  space  between  each  two, 
there  would  be  a  fair  hope  of  their  being  able  to  esca- 
lade the  cliff,  and  escape  from  a  place  which,  although 
one  of  the  pleasantest-looking  spots  in  the  world,  had 
now  become  to  them  loathsome  as  the  interior  of  a 
dungeon. 

Sure  enough,  and  to  the  great  joy  of  all,  such  a  set 
of  shelves  was  soon  after  presented  to  their  eyes,  —  hav- 
mg,  at  l^st  in  appearance,  all  the  requirements  of  which 
they  were  in  search.  The  spaces  between  no  two  of 
them  appeared  to  be  greater  than  thirty  feet,  some  were 
much  nearer  to  each  other. 

The  part  of  the  cliff  where  these  terraces  were  found 
was  not  quite  so  low  as  that  where  Karl  had  made  his 
measurement.  It  did  not  appear,  however,  to  be  more 
than  three  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  —  a  fearful  height,  it  is 
true,  —  but  nothing  when  compared  with  other  sections 
of  the  same  precipice.  To  reach  to  its  top,  more  than 
a  dozen  ladders  would  be  required,  —  each  between 
twenty  and  thirty  feet  in  length.     The  labor  of  making 


38  THE    CLIFF-CLIJIBERS. 

these  ladders,  with  such  tools  as  they  had,  might  he 
looked  upon  as  something  stupendous,  —  sufficient,  you 
miglit  suppose,  to  deter  them  from  the  task.  But  you 
must  endeavor  to  realize  the  situation  in  which  they 
were  placed,  —  with  no  other  hope  of  being  delivered 
from  their  mountain  prison,  —  and  with  this  idea  in  your 
mind,  you  wUl  comprehend  why  they  should  have  been 
wUling  to  imdertake  even  a  far  greater  labor.  Of 
course,  they  did  not  expect  to  complete  it  in  a  day, 
neither  in  a  week,  nor  in  a  month :  for  they  well  knew 
that  it  would  take  several  months  to  make  the  number 
of  ladders  that  would  be  required.  And  then  there 
would  be  the  additional  labor  of  getting  each  into  its 
place :  as  all,  after  the  first  one,  would  have  to  be  carried 
up  the  clifF  to  the  ledge  for  which  it  should  be  con- 
structed. Indeed,  to  raise  ladders  of  thirty  feet  in  the 
manner  contemplated,  would  seem  an  impossibility,  — 
that  is,  for  such  strength  or  mechanism  as  they  could 
command. 

And  so  it  might  have  proved,  had  they  intended  to 
make  these  ladders  of  the  ordinary  weight.  JBut.  they 
foresaw  this  difficulty,  and  hojDed  to  get  over  it  by 
making  them  of  the  very  lightest  kind,  —  sometliing 
that  would  just  carry  the  weight  of  a  man. 

Becoming  more  than  half  satisfied  that  at  this  point 
the  precipice  might  be  scaled  in  the  manner  contem- 
plated, they  remained  upon  the  ground  in  order  to  give 
it  a  thorough  examination.  That  done,  they  intended 
to  make  the  complete  circuit  of  the  valley,  and  ascertain 
whether  there  might  not  be  some  other  place  stUl  easier 
of  ascent. 

The  point  where  they  had  halted  was  behind  the 


INSPECTING   THE    CLIFFS.  39 

tract  of  heavily-timbered  forest  of  whicli  Caspar  had 
spoken,  and  Avhich  up  to  this  time  none  of  them  had 
entered.  Between  the  trees  and  the  cliff  they  were 
now  contemplating  there  was  a  narrow  strip  of  ground 
destitute  of  timber,  and  covered  with  a  shingle  of  loose 
stones  which  had  fallen  from  the  mountain  above.  Sev- 
eral bowlders  of  large  dimensions  rested  upon  the 
ground,  at  short  distances  apart ;  and  there  was  one  of 
a  pillar  shape  that  stood  some  twenty  feet  high,  while 
it  was  only  about  five  or  six  in  diameter.  It  bore  a 
sort  of  rude  resemblance  to  an  obelisk,  and  one  might 
easily  have  fancied  that  the  hand  of  man  had  accom- 
plished its  erection.  For  all  that,  it  was  a  mere  freak 
of  nature,  and  had  probably  been  set  up  by  ancient 
glacier  ice.  Up  one  of  its  sides  there  was  a  series  of 
projections,  by  wliich  an  active  man  might  climb  to  the 
top  ;  and  Ossaroo  did  climb  it,  partly  out  of  playful- 
ness, and  partly,  as  he  said,  to  get  a  better  view  of  the 
cliff.  The  shikaree  stayed  only  a  few  mmutes  on  its 
top  ;  and  his  curiosity  having  been  satisfied,  he  had  let 
himself  down  again. 


40  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 


CHAPTER   IX. 

A  EECONNOISSANCE   INTERRUPTED. 

Though  the  three  had  set  out  that  mornmg  with  a 
wholesome  dread  of  the  elephant,  and  a  determination 
to  go  about  their  reconnoissance  with  caution,  their  joy 
at  the  discovery  of  the  ledges,  and  the  eagerness  with 
which  they  were  scanning  them,  had  for  the  moment 
banished  from  their  minds  all  thoughts  of  the  great 
quadruped.  They  were  thinking  only  of  ledges  and 
ladders,  and  talking  loudly  of  how  the  latter  might  best 
be  made  and  placed  upon  the  former. 

Just  then,  and  just  at  the  moment  Ossaroo  descended 
from  the  obelisk  rock,  Fritz,  who  had  been  prowling 
about  among  the  trees,  set  up  a  fearful  baying,  —  such 
another  as  that  to  which  he  had  given  utterance  on  the 
night  when  the  elephant  had  j)aid  its  visit  to  the  hut. 

There  was  a  certain  intonation  of  terror  ia  the  dog's 
voice,  as  if  whatever  called  it  forth  was  something  that 
inspired  him  with  fear.  The  apprehension  that  it  was 
the  elephant  occurred  to  all  three  at  once,  and  with 
a  simultaneous  impulse  they  faced  towards  the  spot 
whence  the  baying  of  the  dog  apjDeared  to  proceed. 
Simultaneously,  too,  they  clutched  more  firmly  their 
respective  weapons,  —  Karl  his  rifle,  Caspar  his  double- 
barrel,  and  Ossaroo  his  bow,  with  an  arrow  at  the 
string. 


A   KECONNOISSANCE   INTERRUPTED.  41 

It  is  superfluous  to  say  that  there  was  a  certain 
amouni  of  cousternation  visible  in  the  countenances  of 
all  three,  which  was  rather  increased  than  diminished 
by  the  sight  of  Fritz  dasliing  suddenly  out  of  the  under- 
wood, and  running  towards  them  at  full  speed,  with  his 
tail  considerably  below  the  horizontal.  Fritz,  more- 
over, was  giving  utterance  to  something  that  very 
closely  resembled  a  howl.  The  dog  had  e^ddently  been 
attacked  by  some  animal  that  had  put  him  to  flight ; 
and  his  masters  knew  that  it  must  be  a  formidable  crea- 
ture that  was  causing  the  valiant  Fritz  to  behave  in 
such  an  ignominious  manner. 

They  were  not  kept  long  in  doubt  as  to  the  character 
of  Fritz's  conqueror  and  pursuer,  for  close  behind  his 
hips,  almost  touching  them,  appeared  a  long,  cylindrical, 
or  trumpet-shaped  object;  of  a  bluish-gray  color,  pro- 
truding between  two  yellowish  crescents,  like  a  pair  of 
huge  ivory  horns.  Beliind  these  appeared  a  pair  of 
large  ears,  like  flaps  of  sole-leather ;  and  in  the  rear  of 
these  last  appendages  came  the  round,  massive  form 
of  an  enormous  elejihant ! 

Crashing  through  the  underwood,  the  monstrous  crea- 
ture soon  cleared  his  body  from  the  timber,  and  rushed 
straight  across  the  open  ground,  winding  his  terrible 
trumpet  as  he  went.  He  was  following  Fritz  as  straight 
as  he  could  go,  and  evidently  enraged  at  the  dog. 

The  latter,  on  escaping  from  the  tangle  of  the  thicket, 
made  direct  for  the  spot  occupied  by  his  masters,  thus 
directing  the  elephant  upon  them. 

It  was  no  longer  a  question  of  protecting  Fritz  from 
his  formidable  pursuer ;  for  the  elephant,  on  seeing 
three  adversaries  more  worthy  of  his  tusks,  seemed  to 


42  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBEES. 

forget  all  about  the  puny  four-footed  creature  who  had 
provoked  him,  and  at  once  directed  his  attack  upon  the 
upright  bipeds,  as  if  resolved  to  punish  them  for  the 
misbehavior  of  their  subordinate. 

The  three,  standing  close  together,  saw  at  a  glance 
that  Fritz  was  no  longer  the  object  of  the  elephant's 
animosity,  for  the  massive  monster  was  now  charging 
dii'ectly  down  upon  them. 

There  was  no  time  for  concerted  counsel,  —  neither 
to  take  nor  to  give  it.  Each  had  to  act  upon  his  own 
instinct,  and  following  this  each  acted.  Karl  sent  the 
bullet  from  his  rifle  right  between  the  tusks  of  the 
advancing  foe,  while  Caspar  fired  both  barrels  of  his 
piece  "  bang  "  into  the  forehead  of  the  monster.  Ossa- 
roo's  arrow  was  seen  sticking  through  the  elephant's 
trunk,  and  the  moment  after  Ossaroo's  heels  were  pre- 
sented to  the  enemy. 

Karl  and  Caspar  also  ran:  for  it  would  have  been 
sheer  madness  to  have  remained  a  moment  longer  in 
that  perilous  proximity.  Indeed,  it  is  but  justice  to  the 
shikaree  to  say,  that  Karl  and  Caspar  ran  first,  for  they 
had  been  the  first  to  deliver  their  fire,  and  as  soon  as 
they  had  done  so,  each  scampered  as  ne  best  could. 
They  ran  together ;  and  fortunately  for  both  a  large 
tree  was  near,  with  low  horizontal  limbs,  which  favored 
a  rapid  ascent  towards  its  top. 

There  was  only  a  second  of  time  between  the  com- 
mencement of  their  flight  and  that  of  Ossaroo,  but  short 
as  it  was  it  decided  the  preference  of  the  pm'suer,  and 
Ossaroo  became  the  sole  object  of  pursuit. 

The  shikaree  would  fain  have  made  for  the  tree,  to 
which  the  others  were  retreating ;  but  the  proboscis  of 


A   RECONNOISSANCE   INTERRUPTED.  43 

the  elephant  was  already  so  far  advanced  in  that  di- 
rection, that  there  was  every  probability  it  might  get 
lapped  upon  him  before  he  could  climb  beyond  reach. 
For  a  moment  he  was  in  a  dilemma,  and  his  customary 
coolness  seemed  to  have  forsaken  him. 

The  elephant  was  advancing  upon  him,  its  little  switch 
of  a  tail  oscillating  rapidly  in  the  air,  and  its  trunk 
stretched  horizontally  towards  him,  with  Ossaroo's  own 
arrow  still  sticking  in  it.  It  seemed  to  know  that  it 
was  he  who  had  sent  that  skewer  through  its  gristly 
snout, —  perhaps  giving  it  far  more  pain  than  the  leaden 
missiles  that  had  flattened  against  its  thick  skull ;  and 
for  this  reason*it  had  chosen  him  as  the  first  victim  of 
its  vengeance. 

In  truth  Ossaroo's  position  was  one  of  extreme  peril, 
so  much  so  that  Karl  and  Caspar  —  now  perceiving 
themselves  comparatively  safe  from  the  pursuit  —  ut- 
tered a  simultaneous  cry:  both  believing  that  their 
faithful  guide  and  follower  was' on  the  point  of  "com- 
ing to  grief." 

Ossaroo  seemed  bewildered  at  th'fe  very  imminence  of 
the  dangeis  But  it  was  only  for  a  moment,  —  only 
while  he  hesitated  as  to  whether  he  should  try  to  reach 
the  tree.  On  perceiving  that  he  could  not  do  this  with 
a  fair  chance  of  safety,  he  turned  and  ran  in  an  oppo- 
site direction. 

Wliither?  To  the  obelisk.  Yes,  by  good  fortune, 
the  pillar  from  which  he  had  just  descended  was  only 
ten  paces  distant ;  and  Ossaroo,  in  returning  towards  it, 
measured  the  ground  with  less  than  five.  Flmging 
away  his  now  useless  weapons,  he  clutched  hold  of  the 
prominent  points  of  the  rock,  and  '"swarmed  "  up  it  like 
a  squirrel. 


44  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

He  had  good  occasion  to  employ  all  his  powers  of 
agility.  A  second  —  half  a  second  more  —  and  he 
would  have  been  too  late ;  for  ere  he  had  reached  the 
summit  of  the  pillar,  the  digit  point  of  the  elephant's 
trunk  was  inserted  under  the  skirt  of  his  tunic ;  and  had 
the  garment  been  of  tougher  material,  Ossaroo  would 
have  been  jerked  back  to  the  ground  more  rapidly  than 
he  had  ascended. 

As  it  was,  the  cotton  fabric  —  frail  from  long  wear 
and  exposure  —  gave  way  with  a  loud  "  screed  "  ;  and 
although  the  shikaree  was  stripped  of  his  coat-tail,  and 
suffered  a  rather  ignominious  exposure,  stUl  he  had  the 
satisfaction  of  knowing  that  to  this  circumstance  he  was 
indebted  for  the  safety  of  his  skin. 


OSSAROO    ON    THE    OBELISK.  45 


CHAPTER    X. 

OSSAEOO    ON   THE   OBELISK. 

The  moment  after,  Ossaroo  stood  upon  the  summit 
of  the  obelisk.  But  even  there  he  was  far  from  being 
confident  of  security:  for  the  pursuer  had  not  aban- 
doned the  hope  of  being  able  to  reach  him.  On  the 
contrary,  the  infuriated  animal  on  finding  itself  balked 
by  the  worthlessness  of  the  fabric  composing  the  skirt 
of  the  shikaree,  spitefully  tossed  the  -piece  of  cloth  from 
its  trunk ;  and,  rearing  itself  on  its  hind-legs,  threw  its 
body  into  an  erect  attitude,  with  its  fore-feet  resting 
high  up  against  the  rock. 

One  might  have  fancied  that  it  was  about  to  climb 
the  obelisk ;  and  this  it  would  certainly  have  done  had 
the  thing  been  possible.  As  it  was,  however,  Ossaroo 
was  not  out  of  danger :  for  as  the  elephant  stood  on  its 
hind-legs,  with  its  prehensile  proboscis  extended  to  the 
full  length,  the  tip  of  the  latter  was  not  more  than  six 
inches  from  the  soles  of  his  feet. 

The  shikaree  stood  upright  like  a  statue  on  its  pedes- 
tal,—  though  unlike  to  a  statue  in  his  features,  which 
were  anything  but  unmoved.  On  the  contrary,  his 
countenance  exhibited  the  utmost  consternation.  And 
no  wonder :  for  he  could  plainly  perceive  that,  should 
the  elephant  succeed  in  lengthening  its  carcass  only 
another  twelve  inches,  he  himself  would  be  brushed 
from  the  summit  like  a  fly. 


46  THE    CLIFF-Ca.IMBERS. 

In  fearful  suspense,  therefore,  did  he  stand,  contem- 
plating the  monster  which  was  making  every  effort  to 
reach  him. 

These  eiforts  were  made  with  as  much  sagacity  as 
energy.  Not  only  did  the  quadruped  erect  itself  to  its 
greatest  height,  —  standing,  as  one  might  say,  upon  its 
toes,  —  but  on  finding  that  it  was  not  tall  enough,  it 
fell  back  upon  all  fours,  and  then  reared  up  afresh  in 
an  endeavor  to  stretch  still  higher. 

Several  times  did  it  repeat  the  attempt,  —  on  each 
occasion  trying  a  different  side  of  the  rock,  —  as  if  in 
hopes  that  a  greater  elevation  of  the  ground  around 
the  base  might  give  it  that  advantage  of  twelve  inches 
which  it  required  for  seizing  its  victim. 

Fortunately  for  Ossaroo,  the  elephant  had  reached 
its  very  highest  on  first  rearing  up ;  and  though  it  kept 
going  round  and  round  the  rock,  from  no  side  could  it 
do  more  than  just  touch  with  the  top  of  its  trunk  the 
edge  of  the  little  flat  space,  upon  which  the  feet  of  the 
shikaree  were  resting. 

Ossaroo  was  beginning  to  be  satisfied  with  this  fact ; 
and  probably  might  have  come  to  believe  himself  secure 
in  his  position,  but  for  a  circumstance  that  was  making 
him  uneasy.  It  was,  that,  standing  upon  such  a  limited 
surface,  —  a  pedestal  whose  diameter  was  but  little  over 
the  length  of  his  own  feet,  —  he  found  it  exceedingly 
difficult  to  keep  his  balance.  Had  he  been  on  the 
ground,  there  would  have  been  no  diflSculty  about  it ; 
but,  perched  as  he  was  fidl  twenty  feet  aloft,  the  tiling 
was  quite  different ;  and,  with  nerves  unstrung  by  the 
fearfid  danger  that  threatened  him  below,  it  was  just  as 
much  as  he  could  do  to  keep  his  equilibrium. 


OSSAROO    ON    THE    OBELISK.  47 

Though  only  a  "  mild  Hindoo,"  Ossaroo  was  possessed 
of  a  high  degree  of  courage ;  and,  most  of  his  life  hav- 
ing been  spent  as  a  shikaree,  he  had  become  well  inured 
to  the  risk  of  losing  it.  Had  he  been  a  coward,  or  un- 
used to  such  perils  as  at  that  moment  surrounded  lum, 
he  would  in  all  likelihood  have  succumbed  through  fear ; 
and  toppled  helplessly  over  upon  the  shoulders  of  the 
merciless  monster  that  was  threatening  to  destroy  him. 
"With  all  his  bravery,  however,  it  was  just  as  much  as 
he  coidd  do  to  keep  his  balance.  Unfortvmately,  in 
climbing  up  the  rock,  he  had  been  compelled  to  aban- 
don his  boar-spear :  else  with  that  he  might  have  sup- 
ported himself.  His  long  knife  was  still  in  his  belt; 
and  this  he  drew  forth,  —  not  with  the  design  of  using 
it  upon  his  antagonist,  but  only  the  better  to  balance 
himself.  It  is  true  he  would  have  been  fain  to  take  a 
chop  or  two  at  the  gristly  proboscis  of  the  elephant; 
but  he  dared  not  bend  lus  body  into  a  stooping  attitude, 
lest  his  centre  of  gravity  might  get  beyond  the  support- 
ing base,  and  thus  bring  aboixt  the  result  he  dreaded. 

No  other  course  remained  for  him,  than  to  preserve 
his  body  in  an  upright  attitude ;  and,  conscious  of  this 
fa^t,  he  braced  his  nerves  to  the  utmost,  and  maintained 
himself  erect  and  rigid  as  a  statue  of  bronze. 


48  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 


CHAPTER   XI. 

A    WHOLESALE    TUMBLE. 

In  this  attitude  he  remained  for  several  minutes, — 
the  elephant  all  the  while  continuing  its  efforts  to  reach 
him. 

Karl  and  Caspar,  seated  upon  the  branches  of  the 
tree  to  which  they  had  retreated,  were  witnesses  of 
the  whole  scene  from  beginning  to  end.  The  situation 
of  Ossaroo  would  have  been  sufficiently  ludicrous  for 
Caspar  to  have  laughed  at  it,  but  for  the  danger  in 
which  the  shikaree  was  placed.  This  was  so  evident, 
that,  instead  of  indulging  in  anything  akin  to  levity, 
Caspar  looked  on  with  feelings  of  deep  anxiety,  Karl 
being  equally  apprehensive  about  the  result.  Neither 
could  do  anything  to  aid  or  rescue  hira,  as  they  were 
unarmed,  —  both  having  dropped  their  pieces  when 
ascending  the  tree. 

I  have  said  that  Karl  was  as  uneasy  about  the  result 
as  his  brother.  He  was  even  more  so.  It  was  not 
that  he  liked  Ossaroo  better,  or  would  have  more  bit- 
terly lamented  his  fate,  had  the  latter  perished  by  the 
proboscis  of  the  elephant.  No,  that  was  not  the  rea- 
son ;  but  simply  that  Karl  more  clearly  comprehended 
the  danger  in  which  the  shikaree  was  placed. 

After  watching  the  efforts  of  the  elephant  for  a  short 
time,  Caspar  had   become  convinced   that  the  animal 


A    WHOLESALE    TUIVIBLB.  49 

could  not  reach  Ossaroo,  —  so  long  as  the  latter  pre- 
served his  balance  upon  the  summit  of  the  rock.  Karl 
was  equally  satisfied  of  this ;  and  both  by  their  shouts 
kept  encouraging  the  shikaree  to  stand  firm.  But  Karl 
soon  noted  another  circumstance,  which  was  as  yet 
unperceived  by  Caspar;  and  it  was  this  that  was  in- 
spiring him  with  keener  apprehension  than  that  felt  by 
his  brother.  He  had  noticed  that,  each  time  as  the 
elephant  erected  himself  against  the  obelisk,  the  rock 
seemed  slightly  to  shake.  Os?aroo  was  himself  well 
aware  of  the  circumstance,  —  and  more  troubled  at  it 
than  any  of  them,  —  for  it  rendered  it  more  difficult 
for  him  to  preserve  his  equilibrium.  Caspar  at  length 
also  observed  the  trembling  of  the  rock,  but  it  gave 
him  no  particular  uneasiness :  as,  after  what  had  passed, 
he  felt  confident  that  Ossaroo  would  be  able  to  keep 
his  place.  Nor  was  it  the  fear  of  his  falling  in  that 
way  that  was  distressing  the  young  botanist ;  but  rather 
a  deduction  which  he  drew  from  the  circumstance,  not 
apparent  to  the  less  philosophic  mind  of  his  brother. 

The  shaking  of  the  rock  had  suggested  to  Karl  a 
dangerous  contingency.  What  was  it  ?  The  speech 
addressed  by  him  at  that  moment  to  Caspar  will  ex- 
plain. 

"  O  brother ! "  he  exclaimed,  on  perceiving  the  dan- 
ger, "  if  the  rock  should  fall  —  " 

"  No  danger  of  that,"  said  Caspar,  interrupting  him ; 
"  it  stands  firm  enough.  True,  I  see  it  shake  a  little, 
but  only  a  very  little ;  and  that  only  when  the  brute 
springs  up  against  it.     No  danger,  I  should  think  !  " 

"  But  I  fear  there  is  danger,"  rejoined  Karl,  in  a  tone 
of  undiminished  anxiety.     "  Not,"  added  he,  "  so  long 

S  D 


50  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

as  the  elephant  acts  as  he  is  doing;  but  he  may  not 
continue  thus.  These  creatures  are  wonderfully  saga- 
cious ;  and  if  he  only  perceives  that  the  pillai*  moves 
under  his  weight,  a  new  idea  may  get  into  his  brain, 
and  then  it  will  be  all  up  with  Ossaroo." 

"Ha!  I  begin  to  comprehend  you,"  said  Caspar, 
beginning  to  share  the  alarm  of  his  brother.  "There 
is  danger  in  that.  What  is  to  be  done?  If  we  only 
had  our  guns  up  here,  we  might  open  fire  on  the  brute. 
Whether  we  succeeded  in  killing  him  or  not,  we  might 
at  all  events  divert  his  attention  from  Ossaroo,  and 
perhaps  hinder  him  from  thinking  of  the  plan  you 
speak  of.  We  might  go  down  and  get  our  guns.  What 
is  to  hinder  us?  —  the  elephant  is  too  busy  to  no- 
tice us." 

"  True,  —  an  excellent  idea  of  yours,  brother  Caspar." 

"Well,  then,  to  put  it  in  execution.  I  shall  slip 
down  to  the  ground ;  you  follow  to  the  lowest  branch, 
and  I  can  hand  the  guns  up  to  you.  Keep  steady,  and 
don't  you  fear,  Ossy ! "  added  the  young  hunter  in  a 
louder  voice,  addressing  himself  to  the  shikaree.  "  We  '11 
fetch  him  away  from  you  directly,  —  we  '11  tickle  him 
with  an  ounce  or  two  of  lead  through  that  thick  hide  of 
his." 

So  saying,  Caspar  commenced  letting  himself  rapidly 
down  from  branch  to  branch,  Karl  following  more 
leisurely. 

Caspar  had  got  upon  the  lowest  limb  of  the  tree,  and 
Karl  on  that  immediately  above  it,  when  a  loud  crash, 
accompanied  by  a  piercing  shriek,  arrested  the  progress 
of  both,  causing  them  suddenly  to  turn  their  faces  to- 
wards the  obelisk.     During   the   short  time   that  their 


ter=  . 


Its  cuuibriius  body  lusiug  l>alauce  by  the  iuipctus  wliicli  it  liad  thvowu  iutu  the  ellort. 

P.  51. 


A   ■WHOLESALE    TUMBLE.  51 

eyes  had  been  averted  from  it,  a  complete  change  had 
taken  place  in  that  curious  tableau.  Instead  of  a  tall 
column  of  stone,  standing  twenty  feet  perpendicular,  the 
same  column  was  now  seen  lying  along  the  earth  in  a 
nearly  horizontal  position,  with  a  huge  mass  of  broken 
boughs  and  branches  of  trees  crushed  under  its  top. 
Near  its  base,  now  upturned  and  standing  almost  verti- 
cally, was  the  elephant,  no  longer  on  its  hind  feet,  nor 
yet  on  all  fours,  but  down  upon  its  back,  kicking  its 
huge  hoofs  in  the  air,  and  making  the  most  stupendous 
efforts  to  recover  its  lejrs.     Ossaroo  was  nowhere  to  be 


seen 


The  contingency  dreaded  by  Karl  had  come  to  pass. 
The  elephant,  finding  it  impossible  to  reach  the  shikaree 
with  its  trunk,  —  and  no  doubt  judging  by  the  "  feel " 
that  the  rock  was  not  immobile,  —  had  at  length  dropped 
down  on  all  fours ;  and,  placing  its  broad  shoulder 
against  it,  backed  by  the  enormous  weight  of  its  bulky 
body,  had  sent  the  column  crashing  among  the  tops  of  a 
chestnut-tree  growing  near,  —  the  trunk  of  which,  yield- 
ing to  the  weight,  gave  way  with  a  crash,  and  trunk, 
limbs,  and  branches  were  all  borne  downward  to  the 
earth ! 

The  elephant  itself,  not  calculating  that  it  should  find 
the  task  so  easy  of  performance,  had  fallen  at  the  same 
time,  —  its  cumbrous  body  losing  balance  by  the  impetus 
which  it  had  thrown  into  the  effort.  In  short,  of  the 
four  objects  that  formed  the  tableau,  —  rock  and  tree, 
quadruped  and  man,  —  not  one  was  standing  any  longer 
in  its  place,  —  for  it  is  superfluous  to  say  that  Ossaroo 
had  gone  down  with  the  obelisk. 

But  where  was  Ossaroo  ?  That  was  the  question  that 
occurred  to  both  Karl  and  Caspar. 


52  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

"  0  brother  !  "  groaned  Caspar,  "  I  fear  he  is  killed  ! " 

Karl  made  no  reply ;  but  for  all  that,  Caspar's  reflec- 
tion, delivered  in  a  loud  tone,  was  not  left  without 
rejoinder.  Directly  after  the  phrase  had  issued  from 
liis  lijis,  an  answer  was  heard  proceeding  from  among 
the  branches  of  the  fallen  chestnut-tree,  in  a  voice  and 
with  words  that  caused  the  hearts  of  the  brothers  to 
beat  with  joy. 

"  No,  young  sahibs,"  replied  the  unseen  Ossaroo  ;  "  me 
no  killee,  me  no  bit  damage.  If  I  only  can  get  pass 
de  old  rogue,  I  safe  and  sound  as  ibber.  Here  go  for 
run ! " 

At  the  same  moment  the  shikaree  was  seen  shooting 
out  from  among  the  branches  under  which  he  had  been 
for  the  time  buried ;  and,  then  running  with  all  his 
might  towards  the  tree  upon  which  the  brothers  had 
found  refuge. 

Long  before  the  elephant  could  regain  its  feet,  Ossa- 
roo had  reached  a  position  of  perfect  security  among 
the  upper  branches  of  the  great  tree ;  which  Karl  and 
Caspar,  no  longer  thinking  of  their  guns,  had  also  re- 
ascended. 


A  RING   PERFORMANCE.  53 


CHAPTER  XII. 


A   RING  PERFORMANCE. 


As  the  tree  into  which  they  had  retreated  was  a  very 
large  one,  there  was  no  longer  any  present  fear  of 
danger  from  the  elephant,  however  furious  the  latter 
might  be ;  and  they  could  look  down  upon  it  and  watch 
its  movements  with  a  feeling  of  perfect  security.  The 
only  one  of  the  party  that  was  in  dangerous  proximity 
to  that  dreaded  proboscis  was  Fritz;  but  Fritz  had 
already  been  well  warned  of  the  wicked  designs  of  the 
great  brute,  and  was  sufficiently  swift-footed  and  sage 
enough  to  give  the  animal  a  wide  berth. 

As  for  the  elephant  itself,  having  recovered  its  feet,  it 
stood  for  some  seconds  flapping  its  huge  ears,  and  ap- 
parently in  a  kind  of  quandary,  —  as  if  taken  aback  by 
the  unexpected  accident  that  had  befallen  it.  Not  for 
long,  however,  did  it  continue  in  this  tranquil  attitude. 
The  arrow  still  sticldng  in  its  trunk  reminded  it  of  its 
purposes  of  vengeance.  Once  more  angrily  elevating 
its  tail,  and  sounding  its  shrill  trumpet,  it  rushed  towards 
the  fallen  tree,  and  buried  its  long  proboscis  among 
the  branches.  One  by  one  it  turned  them  over,  as 
if  in  search  of  some  object.  It  was  searching  for  the 
shikaree. 

After  a  time  it  desisted  from  this  manceuvre,  and 
looked  around,  —  evidently  with  a  puzzled  aii',  and  won- 


54  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

dering  what  had  become  of  the  man.  It  had  not  seen 
him  as  he  rushed  towards  the  great  tree :  for  his  retreat 
had  been  made  while  the  creature  was  sprawling  upon 
its  back.  Just  then  Fritz  chanced  to  show  himself,  — 
crouching  under  the  branches  upon  which  his  masters 
had  taken  refuge,  and  evidently  envying  them  their 
secure  situation. 

The  sight  of  Fritz  was  enough.  It  was  he  who  had 
first  challenged  the  elephant  on  its  approach  through 
the  woods,  and  had  conducted  it  imder  that  terrible  bat- 
tery of  bullets  and  arrows.  As  soon,  therefore,  as  the 
latter  set  eyes  upon  the  dog,  its  fiiry  not  only  became 
rekindled,  but  apparently  redoubled ;  and,  hoisting  its 
taU  on  high,  it  charged  full  tUt  upon  its  original  adver- 
sary. 

Had  the  assailant  been  a  boar,  or  even  a  bull,  no  doubt 
Fritz  would  have  stood  his  ground,  or  only  swerved  to 
one  side,  the  better  to  elude  the  onset,  and  make  an 
attack  in  turn.     But  with  a  quadruped  as  big  as  a  house, 

—  and  of  which  Fritz,  not  being  of  Oriental  origin, 
knew  so  little ;  and  of  that  little  nothing  that  was  good, 

—  one,  too,  evidently  provided  with  most  formidable 
weapons,  a  tongue  several  feet  long,  and  tu.sks  in  pro- 
portion, —  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  nor  is  it  any  great 
blot  upon  his  escutcheon,  that  Fritz  turned  tail  and  fled. 
So  fast  fled  he,  that  in  less  than  a  score  of  seconds  he 
was  out  of  sight,  —  not  only  of  his  masters  in  the  tree, 
but  of  his  pursuer,  the  elephant.  The  latter  only  fol- 
lowed him  for  some  half-dozen  lengths  of  its  own  car- 
cass ;  and  seeing  that  the  pursuit  was  likely  to  be  a  wild- 
goose  chase,  declined  following  Fritz  any  farther. 

They  in  the  tree,  as  the  elephant  started  after  the 


A    RING    PERFORMANCE.  55 

dog,  were  in  hopes,  that  the  pursuit  might  carry  the 
dangerous  animal  to  some  distance,  and  thus  give  them 
time  to  get  back  to  the  ground  and  make  their  escape 
from  tlie  spot. 

In  this,  however,  they  were  doomed  to  disappoint- 
ment ;  for  having  desisted  from  the  chase  of  the  dog, 
the  great  pachyderm  returned  to  the  point  from  whence 
it  had  started ;  and,  after  once  more  tossing  the  broken 
branches  of  the  fallen  chestnut-tree  upon  the  point  of 
its  proboscis,  it  commenced  pacing  round  and  round  the 
fallen  obelisk,  keeping  in  regular  circles,  as  if  it  were 
training  itself  for  some  performance  in  an  amphi- 
theatre. 

For  more  than  an  hour  did  the  brute  continue  this 
circular  promenade,  at  intervals  stopping  to  give  utter- 
ance to  its  shrieking  note ;  but  most  of  the  time  moving 
on  in  sullen  silence.  Now  and  then  it  directed  its  eyes, 
and  once  or  twice  its  trunk,  towards  the  branches  of  the 
prostrate  tree  as  if  it  had  still  some  suspicion  that  he 
who  sent  that  stinging  arrow  was  there  concealed.  In- 
deed, it  appeared  by  its  movements  to  be  keeping  guard 
over  that  particular  spot,  lest  its  enemy  sliould  escape. 
It  had  long  since  extracted  the  arrow,  by  placing  its 
great  foot  upon  the  shaft  and  drawing  it  forth. 

Fritz  had  stolen  back  to  the  edge  of  the  thicket,  but 
kept  cowering  so  close  that  the  elephant  could  not  see 
him. 

The  parties  perched  above  were  more  than  annoyed 
by  their  imprisonment  thus  procrastinated,  and  began  to 
think  of  how  they  might  set  themselves  free.  They 
talked  of  making  a  rush  to  possess  themselves  of  their 
guns ;   but  to  Karl  this  appeared  too  perilous   to   be 


56  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

attempted.  It  was  not  twenty  yards  from  the  tree  to 
the  spot  where  rested  the  dismounted  monolith ;  and 
the  elephant,  whose  eye  was  in  a  state  of  continual 
activity,  could  not  fail  to  see  them  descending  from  the 
branches.  The  massive  creature,  though  it  moved  about 
with  apparently  a  gentle  gliding  step,  could  go  almost 
as  fast  as  a  galloping  horse ;  and  should  it  espy  them  in 
time,  there  would  be  but  slight  chance  of  eluding  its 
prehensile  trunk. 

Moreover,  the  sight  of  them  —  even  should  they 
succeed  in  regaining  the  tree  —  would  rekindle  its  rage, 
and  cause  it  to  prolong  its  stay  upon  the  ground. 

There  was  yet  another  consideration  that  influenced 
them  to  remain  patiently  on  their  perch.  They  knew 
that  they  had  provided  themselves  with  only  a  very 
limited  quantity  of  ammunition.  That  article  had  be- 
come scarce  with  them ;  and  they  had  prudently  de- 
termined to  economize  it.  Karl  had  only  two  bullets 
left,  with  just  powder  enough  to  make  two  charges ; 
while  Caspar's  horn  and  pouch  were  not  better  filled. 
They  might  fire  their  whole  stock  of  lead  into  tlie 
elephant,  and  still  not  succeed  in  killing  a  creature  that 
sometimes  walks  off  triumphantly  with  a  score  of  bullets 
"  under  his  belt."  These  shots  might  only  have  the 
eflfect  of  incensing  it  still  more,  and  causing  it  to  stay 
upon  the  ground  to  an  indefinite  period. 

It  was  a  true  rogue,  —  Ossaroo  had  long  since  pro 
nounced  it  one,  —  and  an  "old  tusker"  at  that.  It 
was  therefore  a  most  dangerous  creature ;  and  though 
they  knew  they  would  never  be  safe  in  that  valley 
until  it  should  be  destroyed,  it  was  agreed  by  all  that 
it  would  be  more  prudent  to  leave  it  undisturbed  until 


A   RING   PERFORMANCE.  57 

some  more  favorable  opportunity  occurred  for  effecting 
its  destruction. 

For  these  various  reasons  they  resolved  to  remain 
quiet  in  the  tree,  and  patiently  await  the  termination 
of  that  curious  "  ring  performance,"  which  the  old  tusker 
still  continued  to  keep  up. 


S» 


58  THE    CLLFF-CLIMBEES. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 


AN   ODD   APPEAKANCE. 


Foe  the  full  length  of  another  hour  did  the  trio  in 
the  tree  have  their  patience  tested.  During  aU  that 
time  the  "  rogue  "  remained  upon  the  ground,  continu- 
ing his  perambulations  around  the  rock,  —  until  he  had 
trodden  out  a  path  that  resembled  the  arena  of  a  circus 
at  the  close  of  a  night's  performance. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  say  that  the  time  hung  heavily 
upon  the  hands  of  the  spectators,  —  to  say  nothing  of 
Fritz,  who  would  no  doubt  have  been  satisfied  with  a 
much  shorter  programme. 

As  regards  the  former,  the  hour  might  have  been 
spent  less  pleasantly  than  it  was ;  for  it  so  chanced  that 
an  interlude  was  introduced,  of  so  interesting  a  charac- 
ter to  all,  but  more  especially  to  the  naturalist  Karl, 
that  for  a  while  the  proximity  of  their  savage  besieger 
was  forgotten,  and  they  scarcely  remembered  that  they 
were  besieged. 

Favored  by  the  accident  of  their  situation,  they  be- 
came spectators  of  a  scene,  —  one  of  those  scenes  only 
to  be  viewed  amid  the  wild  solitudes  of  Nature. 

Not  far  from  the  tree  on  which  they  had  found  shel- 
ter stood  another  of  equal  dimensions,  but  of  an  en- 
tirely different  species.  It  was  a  sycamore,  as  even 
Caspar,  without  any  botanical  skill,  could  testify.     Its 


AN    ODD    APPEARANCE.  59 

smooth  bark,  piebald  with  white  and  green  spots,  its 
widely-straggling  limbs  and  leaves,  left  no  doubt  about 
its  being  one.  It  was  the  sycamore,  identical  with  its 
European  congener,  the  Platanus  orientalis. 

It  is  the  habit  of  this  fine  tree  to  become  hollow. 
Not  only  does  the  lower  part  of  its  trunk  exhibit  the 
phenomenon  of  great  cavities,  but  holes  are  found  high 
up  in  its  main  shaft  or  in  the  larger  limbs. 

The  tree  in  question  stood  within  a  few  yards  of 
that  on  which  Karl,  Caspar,  and  Ossaroo  were  perched. 
It  was  just  before  their  eyes,  whenever  they  looked  in 
a  horizontal  direction ;  and  occasionally,  when  tired 
with  watching  the  monotonous  movements  of  the  ele- 
phant, one  or  other  of  them  did  look  horizontally. 
The  scanty  foliage  upon  the  sycamore  enabled  them 
to  see  its  trunk  and  most  of  its  larger  limbs,  without 
any  obstruction  of  leaves  or  branches. 

Caspar  had  not  cast  his  eyes  more  than  twice  in  the 
direction  of  this  tree,  when  he  saw  there  was  something 
peculiar  about  it.  Caspar  was  a  youth  of  quick  sight 
and  equally  quick  perception.  In  the  main  stem  of  the 
tree,  and  about  six  feet  above  its  first  forking,  he  per- 
ceived an  object  that  at  once  fixed  liis  attention.  It 
looked  like  a  goat's  horn,  only  that  it  was  more  like 
the  curving  tusk  of  a  rhinoceros  or  a  very  young  ele- 
phant. It  was  sticking  out  from  the  tree,  with  the 
curve  directed  downwards.  Altogether,  it  looked  quite 
different  from  a  branch  of  the  sycamore,  or  anything 
belonging  to  the  tree. 

Once  or  twice,  while  Caspar  had  his  eyes  upon  it,  he 
thought  or  fancied  that  it  moved ;  but  not  being  sure  of 
this,  he  said  nothing,  lest  the  others  might  laugh  at  him. 


60  THE   CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

It  would  not  have  been  the  first  time  that  Karl,  from 
his  suiierior  knowledge,  had  indidged  in  a  laugh  at  liis 
brother's  expense. 

Caspar's  attention  being  now  engrossed  by  the  pe- 
culiar appearance  he  had  noted,  he  continued  to  scruti- 
nize it ;  and  soon  perceived  that  around  the  curved  ex- 
crescence there  was  a  circular  disk  some  eight  or  ten 
inches  in  diameter,  and  diiFering  in  color  from  the  bark 
of  the  sycamore  —  by  being  many  shades  darker.  This 
disk  appeared  composed  of  some  substance  that  was  not 
ligneous  :  for  it  no  more  resembled  wood  than  the  curved 
ivory-like  object  that  protruded  from  its  centre.  Had 
Caspar  been  asked  what  it  did  look  like,  he  would  have 
answered  that  it  resembled  the  agglutinated  mud  used 
by  swallows  in  building  their  nests,  —  so  like  it,  that  it 
might  have  been  the  same  substance. 

Caspar  continued  to  scrutinize  these  two  curious  ob- 
jects,—  the  tusk-like  excrescence,  and  the  dark  disk 
from  which  it  protruded ;  and  not  until  he  became  fully 
aware  that  the  former  had  life  in  it,  did  he  communi- 
cate his  discovery  to  his  companions.  Of  this  fact  he 
was  convinced  by  seeing  the  crescent  suddenly  disap- 
pear, —  as  if  drawn  witliiu  the  tree,  while  in  its  place  a 
dark  round  hole  was  alone  visible.  Presently  the  yel- 
lowish horn  reappeared  through  the  hole,  and  protruded 
outside,  filling  it  up  as  before ! 

Caspar  was  too  much  astonished  by  this  exhibition  to 
remain  any  longer  the  sole  proprietor  of  such  a  myste- 
rious secret,  and  without  more  delay  he  communicated 
his  discovery  to  Karl,  and  indirectly  to  Ossaroo. 

Both  at  the  same  time  turned  their  eyes  towards  the 
tree,  and  bent  them  upon  the  mdicated  spot.     Karl  was 


AN   ODD   APPEARANCE.  Gl 

as  much  mystified  by  the  strange  appearance  as  had 
been  Caspar  liimself. 

Not  so  Ossaroo.  The  moment  he  saw  the  curving 
ivory  and  the  dark-colored  disk,  he  pronounced  in  a 
tone  of  careless  indifference,  the  simple  phrase, — 

"  HonibiU,  —  de  bird  on  him  nest." 


62  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

A   CUKIOUS   NEST. 

Just  then  the  curved  projection  was  observed  to  re- 
cede within  the  tree ;  and  ia  its  place  appeared  a  small 
dark  hole,  apparently  the  entrance  to  a  larger  cavity. 
Karl,  as  Caspar  had  done  the  moment  before,  saw  this 
with  surprise. 

"Nest!"  repeated  Caspar,  astonished  at  the  shika- 
ree's statement.  "A  bird's  nest?  Is  that  what  you 
mean,  Ossy?" 

"That  just  it,  sahib.  Nest  of  great  biggee  bird. 
Feringhees  bim  call  horneehill." 

"  Well,"  rejoined  Caspar,  not  greatly  enlightened  by 
Ossaroo's  explanation,  "  that 's  very  curious.  We  have 
seen  something  like  a  horn  sticking  out  of  the  tree, 
though  it  looks  more  like  ivory  than  horn.  It  may  be 
the  bUl  of  a  bird;  but  as  to  a  bird  itself,  or  the  nest 
of  one,  where  is  that,  pray  ?  " 

Ossaroo  intimated  that  the  nest  was  inside  the  tree ; 
and  that  the  bird  was  on  the  nest  just  behind  its  beak, 
where  it  ought  to  be. 

"  What !  the  bird  is  in  that  hole  where  we  saw  the 
white  thing  sticking  out  ?  Why,  it  quite  filled  the  hole, 
and  if  there  's  a  bird  there,  and  what  we  saw  be  its  bill, 
I  have  only  to  say  that  its  bill  must  be  as  big  as  its 
body,  —  else  how  can  it  get  out  and  in  through  so  small 


A    CURIOUS   NEST.  63 

an  aperture?  Certainly  I  see  no  hole  but  the  one. 
O,  perhaps  the  bird  is  a  toucan.  I  have  heard  there 
are  some  of  that  sort  that  can  go  through  any  place 
where  they  can  pass  their  beaks.  Is  it  a  toucan,  Ossa- 
roo  ?  " 

Ossaroo  could  not  tell  what  a  toucan  was,  never  hav- 
ing heard  of  such  a  bird.  His  ornithological  knowledge 
went  no  further  than  to  the  birds  of  Bengal ;  and  the 
toucan  is  found  only  in  America.  He  stated  that  the 
bird  in  the  tree  was  called  by  the  Feringhees  a  "  horn- 
bill  " ;  but  it  was  also  known  to  some  as  the  "  rhinoceros 
bird."  Ossaroo  added,  that  it  was  as  large  as  a  goose ; 
and  that  its  body  was  many  times  thicker  than  its  bill, 
thick  as  the  latter  appeared  to  be. 

"  And  you  say  it  has  its  nest  inside  that  hole  ?  "  inter- 
rogated Caspar,  pointing  to  the  little  round  aperture, 
which  did  not  appear  to  be  over  three  inches  in  diameter. 

"  Sure  of  it,  young  sahib,"  was  Ossaroo's  reply. 

"Well,  certainly  there  is  some  living  creature  in 
there,  since  we  have  seen  it  move ;  and  if  it  be  a  bird 
as  large  as  a  goose,  will  you  explain  to  me  how  it  got 
in,  and  how  it  means  to  get  out  ?  There  must  be  a 
larger  entrance  on  the  other  side  of  the  tree." 

"  No,  sahib,"  confidently  asserted  Ossaroo ;  "  that  you 
see  before  your  eye,  —  that  the  only  way  to  de  hornee- 
bill  nest." 

"  Hurrah  for  you,  Ossy !  So  you  mean  to  say  that  a 
bird  as  large  as  a  goose  can  go  in  and  out  by  that  hole  ? 
Why,  a  sparrow  coiild  scarcely  squeeze  itself  through 
there!" 

"  HorneebUl  he  no  goee  in,  he  no  goee  out.  He  stay 
inside  till  him  little  cliickees  ready  for  leavee  nest." 


64  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

"  Come,  Ossy ! "  said  Caspar,  in  a  bantering  -way ; 
"  that  story  is  too  good  to  be  true.  You  don't  expect 
us  to  believe  all  that?  "What,  stay  in  the  nest  till  the 
young  are  ready  to  leave  it !  And  how  then  ?  How 
will  the  young  ones  help  their  mother  out  of  the  sci-ape  ? 
How  will  they  get  out  themselves :  for  I  suppose  they 
don't  leave  the  nest  till  they  are  pretty  well  grown? 
Come !  good  shikaree  ;  let  us  have  no  more  circumlocu- 
tion about  the  matter,  but  explain  all  these  apparently 
inexplicable  circumstances." 

The  shikaree,  thus  appealed  to,  proceeded  to  give  the 
explanation  demanded. 

The  hornbill,  he  said,  when  about  to  bring  forth  its 
young,  selects  a  hollow  in  some  tree,  just  large  enough 
conveniently  to  hold  the  nest  which  it  builds,  and  also 
its  own  body.  As  soon  as  the  nest  is  constructed  and^ 
the  eggs  all  laid,  the  female  bird  takes  her  seat  upon 
them,  and  there  remains ;  not  only  until  the  eggs  are 
hatched,  but  for  a  long  time  afterwards,  —  in  fact,  until 
the  young  are  nearly  fledged  and  able  to  take  care  of 
themselves.  In  order  that  she  may  be  protected  during 
the  period  of  her  incuba;tion  against  weasels,  polecats, 
ichneumons,  and  all  such  "  vermin,"  a  design,  exhibiting 
either  wonderful  instinct  or  sagacity,  is  carried  into  exe- 
cution by  the  male.  As  soon  as  liis  mate  has  squatted 
upon  her  eggs,  he  goes  to  work  at  the  masonic  art ;  and 
using  liis  great  horned  mandibles,  first  as  a  hod,  and 
afterwards  as  a  trowel,  he  walls  up  the  entrance  to  the 
nest,  —  leaving  an  aperture  just  large  enough  to  be  filled 
up  by  the  beak  of  the  female.  The  material  employed 
by  him  for  this  purpose  is  a  kind  of  agglutinated  mud, 
which  he  procures  from  the  neighboring  watercourse  or 


♦  A   CTJRIOTJS   NEST.  65 

quagmire,  and  somewhat  similar  to  that  used  by  the 
common  house-swallow  for  constructing  its  peculiar  nest. 
When  dried,  this  mud  becomes  exceedingly  hard,— 
bidding  defiance  to  the  teeth  and  claws  of  all  would-be 
intruders,  whether  bird  or  quadruped;  and  with  the 
horny  beak  of  the  old  hen  projected  outward,  and  quite 
filling  up  the  aperture,  even  the  slippery  tree-snake 
cannot  find  room  enough  to  squeeze  his  body  through. 
The  female,  thus  free  from  all  fear  of  being  molested, 
quietly  continues  her  incubation  ! 

When  Ossaroo  had  got  thus  far  with  his  explanation, 
Caspar  interrupted  him  with  a  query. 

"  What ! "  said  he,  "  sit  all  the  time  —  for  weeks,  I 
suppose  —  without  ever  coming  out,  —  without  taking 
an  airing?     And  how  does  she  get  her  food?" 

As  Caspar  put  this  question,  and  before  Ossaroo  had 
time  to  answer,  a  noise  reached  their  ears  which 
appeared  to  proceed  from  the  sky  above  them.  It 
was  a  noise  well  calculated  to  inspire  terror  in  those 
who  had  never  before  heard  it,  or  did  not  know  what 
was  causing  it.  It  was  a  sort  of  fluttering,  clattering 
sound,  or  rather  a  series  of  soimds,  resembling  the 
quickly  repeated  gusts  of  a  violent  storm. 

The  moment  Ossaroo  heard  it,  he  knew  what  it  was ; 
and  instead  of  giving  a  direct  answer  to  Caspar's  ques- 
tion, he  simply  said,  — 

"  Wait  a  bit,  sahib.  Here  come  old  cockee  hornee- 
bill ;  he  show  you  how  de  hen  getee  her  food." 

The  words  had  scarcely  passed  from  the  lips  of  the 
shikaree,  when  the  cause  of  that  singular  noise  became 
known  to  his  companions.  The  maker  of  it  appeared 
before  them  in  the  form  of  a  great  bird,  that  with  a  strong 


66  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

flapping  of  its  wings  flew  past  the  tree  in  which  they 
were  seated,  towards  that  which  contained  the  nest. 

In  an  instant  afterwards,  it  was  seen  resting  on  a  spur- 
like projection  of  the  trunk,  just  below  the  aperture ; 
and  it  needed  not  Ossaroo  to  tell  them  that  it  was  the 
cock  hornbUl  that  had  there  alighted.  The  large  beak 
—  the  tip  of  it  resembling  that  which  they  had  already 
seen  sticking  out  of  the  hole,  and  which  was  once  more 
visible  and  in  motion  —  surmounted  by  an  immense  hel- 
met-like protuberance,  rising  upon  the  crown,  and  run- 
ning several  mches  along  the  top  of  the  upper  mandible, 
which  might  have  been  taken  for  a  second  beak,  —  this 
singular  appendage  could  belong  to  no  other  bird  than 
the  JiornUll. 


THE    nORNBILL.  67 


CHAPTER    XV. 


THE    HOKNBILL. 


Karl,  although  he  had  never  seen  one  of  these  birds 
alive,  had  yet  examined  stuffed  specimens  of  them  in 
museums,  and  he  had  no  difficulty  in  recognizing  the 
bird.  He  was  able  even  to  identify  the  species,  for  there 
are  many  species  of  hornbill,  known  under  the  generic 
name,  Bucerus.  That  before  their  eyes  was  the  Buce- 
rus  rhinoceros,  or  "  rhinoceros  hornbill,"  called  also  the 
"  topau,"  and  sometimes  the  "  horned  Indian  raven," 
from  a  sort  of  resemblance  which  it  bears  both  in  shape 
and  habits  to  the  well-known  bird  of  this  name. 

Ossaroo  had  not  exaggerated  the  size  of  these  birds 
when  he  compared  it  to  that  of  a  goose.  On  the  con- 
trary, he  had  rather  moderated  the  dimensions :  for  the 
one  in  question  looked  much  larger  than  either  goose  or 
gander.  It  was  rather  more  than  three  feet  in  length,  — 
reckoning  from  the  tip  of  its  tail  to  the  point  of  its  curv- 
ing beak,  which  of  itself  was  nearly  a  foot  long !  Its 
color  was  black  above,  and  yellowish-white  underneath, 
the  tail  feathers  being  a  clear  white,  with  a  broad  black  • 
band  crossing  them  near  the  middle.  Its  bUl,  like  that 
of  its  mate  already  observed,  was  of  a  yellowish-white, 
the  upper  mandible  being  reddish  around  the  base,  while 
the  casque-like  protuberance  exhibited  a  mottled  surface 
of  white  and  black. 


68  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

Ossaroo  had  to  tell  them  pretty  nearly  all  he  knew 
in  relation  to  this  curious  bird ;  for  although  there  are 
several  species  of  hornbills  natives  of  India,  it  is  by  no 
means  a  common  creature,  even  at  home  in  its  own 
country. 

Karl  could  have  told  them  much  more  about  its  spe- 
cies and  habits,  and  no  doubt  he  would  have  done  so  had 
they  been  otherwise  engaged.  But  situated  as  they 
were,  with  an  angry  elephant  besieging  them  in  the  tree, 
and  now  for  a  while  interested  in  observing  the  move- 
ments of  the  bird  itself,  Karl  was  in  no  humor  to  deliver 
an  ornithological  lecture.  He  might  have  told  them  that 
ornithologists  have  differed  much  about  the  classification 
of  the  hornbill,  —  some  of  them  placing  it  among  the 
toucans,  while  others  assert  that  it  belongs  to  the  crow 
family.  Its  immense  beak  —  out  of  all  proportion  to  its 
body  —  is  not  the  only  point  of  resemblance  it  bears  to 
the  toucans.  Like  them,  it  flings  its  food  into  the  air, 
catching  and  swallowing  it  as  it  comes  down.  Unlike 
the  toucans,  however,  it  cannot  climb  trees,  and  is  there- 
fore not  of  the  Scansorial  order.  It  is  said  to  be  omuiv- 
orous  in  its  food ;  and  in  this  it  resembles  the  crows  and 
ravens :  but,  indeed,  as  already  stated,  there  are  many 
species  of  hornbills,  and  the  habits  of  the  different  kinds, 
by  no  means  uniform  or  alike,  have  been  confoiuided  by 
most  writers.  There  are  species  in  Africa,  others  in 
India  and  the  Indian  islands,  and  New  Guinea  is  known 
to  have  one  or  two  distinct  species  of  its  own.  All  these 
differ  not  only  in  size,  color,  shape  of  their  beak,  and  the 
protuberance  that  surmounts  it ;  but  also  in  the  kind  of 
food  which  they  live  upon.  For  instance,  the  African 
hornbills,  and  one  or  more  of  the  Asiatic  species,  are 


THE    HORNBILL.  69 

carnivorous,  and  some  even  carrion-eaters.  These  are 
filthy  birds,  their  flesh  and  feathers  smelling  rank  as  those 
of  vultnres.  On  the  other  hand,  there  is  a  species  in 
the  Indian  islands  —  the  Moluccas  more  particularly  — 
whose  sole  food  is  the  nutmeg,  which  gives  to  its  flesh  an 
exquisite  aromatic  flavor,  causing  it  to  be  muidi  relished 
at  the  tables  of  Oriental  epicures.  The  bill  of  this 
species  after  a  certain  time  appears  with  a  number  of 
grooves  or  furrows  in  it.  As  these  furrows  are  observed 
onl}'  on  the  beaks  of  the  old  birds,  the  Dutch  colonists 
established  in  the  Moluccas  believe  them  to  indicate 
their  age,  each  wrinkle  standing  for  a  year.  Hence  the 
hornbill  has  obtained  among  the  colonists  the  name  of 
Yerrvogel  (year  bird). 

Karl,  as  I  have  said,  was  acquainted  with  all  these 
facts  in  the  natural  history  of  the  hornbill ;  but  just  then 
he  did  not  think  of  making  them  known  to  his  compan- 
ions,—  all  three  being  too  much  occupied  in  watching 
the  movements  of  the  male  bird.  It  was  evident  that 
he  was  not  one  of  the  vegetable  feeders :  for  on  liis 
alighting  they  could  see  hanging  from  his  beak  a  long 
cylindrical  object,  which  they  were  able  to  identify  as 
a  portion  —  the  head  and  part  of  the  body  —  of  a  dead 
snake.  It  was  equally  evident  that  his  mate  was  not 
accustomed  to  a  vegetable  diet :  for  from  the  way  in 
which  he  was  manoeuvring,  the  spectators  saw  that  the 
mutilated  reptile  was  intended  for  her.  No  doubt  it  was 
her  dinner,  for  it  had  now  got  to  that  hour  of  the  day. 

She  was  not  to  be  kept  waiting  any  longer.  Almost 
on  the  instant  her  provider  alighted  on  the  projecting 
spur,  with  a  toss  of  his  head  he  jerked  the  piece  of  snake 
up  into  the  air,  and  then  caught  it  as  it  came  down 


70  THE    CLIFP-CLIJIBERS. 

again,  —  not  with  the  intention  to  swallow  it,  but  only  to 
get  a  better  grip,  in  order  that  he  might  deliver  it  the 
more  adi'oitly  into  the  mandibles  of  his  mate,  —  now  pro- 
trudmg  through  the  aperture,  and  opened  to  receive  it. 

In  another  instant  the  savory  morsel  was  transferred 
from  the  beak  of  the  male  to  that  of  the  female ;  and 
then  the  ivory  forceps  of  the  latter,  with  the  snake  held 
tightly  between  them,  disappeared  within  the  cavity. 

The  old  cock  stayed  not  a  moment  longer  upon  the 
tree.  He  had  served  his  mate  with  her  dinner,  and  per- 
haps he  had  yet  to  bring  on  the  dessert.  Whether  or 
not,  he  rose  immediately  afterwards  into  the  air,  with 
the  same  clangorous  clapping  of  his  wings ;  but  this 
time  the  noise  was  accompanied  by  the  clattering  of  liis 
horny  mandibles,  like  a  pair  of  castanets,  causing  a  sound 
not  only  singular,  but,  if  heard  by  strangers,  calculated 
to  beget  within  them  a  considerable  feeling  of  alarm. 


A    FOUR-FOOTED    EUllGLAR.  71 


CHAPTER    XVI. 


A    FOUR-FOOTED    BURGLAR. 


After  the  de^Darture  of  the  bird,  that  had  taught  our 
young  adventurers  so  interesting  a  chapter  of  natural 
history,  the  elephant  once  more  engrossed  their  atten- 
tion. Not  that  there  was  anything  new  in  the  move- 
ments of  the  latter,  —  for  it  was  acting  just  as  before,  — 
but  simply  because  they  knew  that,  so  long  as  it  re- 
mained upon  the  ground,  they  would  have  to  stay  in  the 
tree ;  and  they  naturally  bent  their  eyes  upon  it,  to  see 
if  it  was  showing  any  signs  of  movmg  off.  They  could 
perceive  none.  Not  the  slightest  appearance  to  indicate 
its  intention  of  departing  from  the  spot. 

While  engaged  in  regarding  the  besieger,  their  eyes 
were  of  course  removed  from  the  sycamore ;  nor  might 
they  have  been  again  turned  towards  that  tree,  —  at 
least,  not  for  a  good  while,  —  but  for  a  sound  that 
reached  their  ears,  and  which  appeared  to  proceed  from 
the  direction  of  the  hornbilFs  nest.  It  was  a  soft  and 
rather  plaintive  sound,  —  unlike  any  that  had  been  made 
by  the  rhinoceros  bird ;  nor  was  it  at  all  like  the  voice 
of  a  bird,  of  any  kind.  It  was  more  like  the  utterance  of 
some  four-footed  creature ;  or  it  might  even  have  been  a 
human  voice  pronouncing  the  syllable  "wha,"  several 
times  repeated. 

That  it  was  neither  bird  nor  human  being,  Ossaroo 


72  THE    CI.IFF-CLIMBERS. 

could  tell  the  moment  he  heard  the  first  "  wha."  Almost 
as  soon  were  the  others  convinced  that  it  was  neither : 
for  on  turning  their  eyes  to  the  sycamore,  they  saw  upon 
the  projecting  spur  that  had  been  so  lately  occupied  by 
the  hornbill,  a  creature  of  a  very  different  kind,  —  in 
short,  a  quadruped. 

Had  it  been  in  an  American  foi'est,  they  might  have 
taken  the  creature  for  a  raccoon,  though  a  very  large  one. 
On  closer  scrutiny,  many  points  of  resemblance,  and  also 
of  difference,  would  have  become  apparent.  Like  the 
raccoon,  it  had  plantigrade  feet,  a  burly,  rounded  body, 
and  a  very  thick  hairy  tail,  —  ringed  also  like  that  of  the 
American  animal, — but  unlil^e  the  latter,  its  muzzle, 
instead  of  being  long  and  slender,  was  short,  round,  and 
somewhat  cat-like ;  while  its  hair,  or  more  properly  its 
fur,  formed  a  thick  even  coat  all  over  its  body,  limbs, 
and  tail,  and  presented  a  smooth  and  shining  surface. 
Its  general  color  was  a  very  dark  brown,  streaked  and 
mottled  with  golden  yellow  ;  and  Caspar  remarked,  upon 
the  moment  of  seeing  it,  that  it  was  one  of  the  hand- 
somest creatures  he  had  ever  beheld. 

The  naturalist  Cuvier  had  made  the  same  remark 
long  before  Caspai-'s  time.  So  said  Karl,  on  hearing 
the  observation  escape  from  the  lips  of  his  brother. 

Ossaroo  knew  that  tlie  animal  was  the  "  wha,"  a  name 
derived  from  its  ordinary  call ;  and  that  it  was  some- 
times known  as  the  "  chetwa,"  and  also  the  "  panda." 

Karl,  on  hearing  Ossaroo's  name  for  it,  and  indeed 
on  heai'ing  it  pronounced  by  the  creature  itself,  was 
able  to  identify  the  animal,  and  to  give  it  still  another 
name,  —  that  which  has  been  bestowed  upon  it  by 
Frederick  Cuvier,  —  ailurus.    This  is  the  generic  name, 


A   FOUR-POOTED    BURGLAR.  73 

of  which,  up  to  the  present  time,  it  has  been  left  in 
undisturbed  possession.  Since  only  one  species  has 
been  discovered,  it  has  the  name  all  to  itself;  and  there- 
fore would  not  require  any  specific  appellation.  But 
for  all  that,  one  has  been  given  to  it.  On  account  of 
its  shining  coat,  it  has  been  called  the  ailunis  fulgens. 

Though  the  closet  naturalists,  in  following  out  their 
pedantic  propensities,  have  created  a  genus  ■  expressly 
for  this  animal,  there  is  nothing  either  in  its  appearance 
or  habits  to  separate  it  from  the  badgers,  the  raccoons, 
the  coatimondis,  and  such  other  predatory  creatures. 
Like  them  it  preys  upon  birds  and  their  eggs,  as  also 
on  the  smaller  kinds  of  quadrupeds ;  and,  like  the  rac- 
coon, it  is  a  nimble  tree-climber. 

The  situation  in  which  the  particular  panda,  of  which 
we  are  writing,  first  appeared  to  the  eyes  of  Karl  and 
Caspar,  proved  this  capacity,  and  its  actions  the  moment 
after  testified  to  its  fondness  for  birds'-eggs.  It  had  not 
been  a  minute  under  the  eyes  of  the  spectators,  when 
they  saw  that  it  was  after  the  eggs  of  the  hornbill ; 
perhaps,  too,  it  might  have  had  a  design  of  tasting  the 
flesh  of  their  owner. 

Resting  its  thick  plantigrade  hind  feet  upon  the  pro- 
jection of  the  tree,  it  erected  itself  lilce  a  little  bear ; 
and  with  its  fore-paws  commenced  scraping  at  the 
barrier  wall  which  the  male  bird  had  spent  so  much 
time  and  taken  so  much  pains  in  building.  It  is  possi- 
ble that,  if  it  had  been  left  to  itself,  it  might  in  time 
have  succeeded  in  forcing  an  entrance  into  the  nest,  and 
highly  probable  too,  —  or  it  would  scarcely  have  en- 
tered upon  the  task.  But  it  was  not  left  to  itself.  Not 
that  the  sitter  inside  could  have  done  much  to  hinder 
4 


74  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

it :  thougli  it  was  evident,  from  the  way  in  which  her 
beak  was  repeatedly  projected  and  drawn  back  through 
the  hole,  and  also  from  her  angry  hissing,  that  she 
knew  there  was  danger  without,  and  that  an  enemy  was 
assailing  her  citadel. 

Most  likely  after  a  time,  and  by  constant  scraping, 
the  clay  wall  would  eventually  have  been  pulled  down ; 
but  before  that  event  came  to  pass,  a  loud  flapping  and 
fluttering,  and  cracking  and  clattering,  was  heard  among 
the  tops  of  the  trees ;  and  in  an  instant  afterwards  the 
broad,  shadowy  wings  of  the  old  male  hornbill  were 
■  swashing  about  the  ears  of  the  four-footed  robber,  while 
the  long  cutlass-like  beak,  armed  at  its  edges,  at  once 
interrupted  the  intent. 

The  panda,  taken  by  surprise,  quailed  at  this  first 
onset :  for  like  any  other  pater  familias  who  on  return- 
ing home  finds  a  burglar  breaking  into  his  house,  the 
cock  bird  charged  in  the  full  tide  of  impetuous  fury. 

The  robber,  however,  evidently  used  to  this  sort  of 
thing,  soon  recovered  his  self-possession ;  and  instead 
of  retreatmg  from  the  tree,  he  only  planted  himself 
more  firmly  upon  the  projection ;  and,  facing  towards 
his  feathery  assailant,  prepared  to  show  fight. 

And  fight  was  instantly  shown  on  both  sides,  —  the 
bird  swooping  repeatedly  at  its  adversary,  striking  with 
its  strong  wings  and  thrusting  with  its  ensiform  beak ; 
while  the  quadruped  played  back  both  with  teeth  and 
claws,  —  several  times  plucking  a  mouthful  of  feathers 
from  the  breast  of  its  winged  adversary. 


FRITZ    INTERFERES.  75 


CHAPTER    XVII. 


FRITZ     INTERFERES. 


How  the  affair  might  have  ended  had  the  panda  and 
the  hornbill  been  the  only  parties  to  the  combat,  can  bnt 
be  guessed  at.  In  all  likelihood  the  quadruped  would 
have  triumphed  over  the  biped ;  the  entrance  would 
have  been  forced  ;  the  old  hen  dragged  off  her  nest  — • 
perhaps  killed  and  eaten  —  and  the  eggs  after  her. 

But  it  was  not  written  in  the  book  of  destiny  that  this 
should  be  the  denouement  of  that  little  drama :  for  at 
that  moment  an  incident  occurred  which  changed  the 
whole  character  of  the  contest,  —  followed  by  a  series  of 
other  incidents  which  brought  the  affair  to  a  termination 
unexpected  by  all  parties  engaged,  as  well  as  by  those 
who  witnessed  it. 

The  first  of  these  incidents,  —  and  that  which  formed 
the  key  to  this  change  in  the  circumstances  of  the  com- 
bat, was  one  of  a  very  ludicrous  character,  —  so  much  so 
as  to  elicit  laughter  from  the  spectators  in  the  tree. 

It  chanced  that  the  eyes  of  the  panda,  as  the  animal 
stood  erect  on  its  hind  quarters,  were  directly  opposite 
the  little  aperture  that  represented  the  entrance  to  the 
nest.  Not  dreaming  of  any  danger  in  that  direction,  the 
robber  only  thought  of  guarding  his  "  daylights  "  against 
the  hornbill  upon  the  wing.  But  the  hen  bird  inside  the 
nest  —  who  could  see  well  enough  what  was  passing 


76  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

outside  —  had  no  idea  of  remainftg  a  passive  spectator ; 
and  perceivinw  her  opportunity  —  for  she  was  within 
striking  distance  —  she  quietly  drew  back  her  long  ivory 
beak,  and,  throwing  all  the  strength  of  her  neck  into  the 
effort,  —  assisted  by  the  weight  of  her  heavy  helmeted 
head,  —  as  if  with  the  blow  of  a  pickaxe,  she  struck  the 
panda  right  in  the  eye,  —  the  sharp  point  penetrating 
almost  to  its  skull. 

Terror-stricken,  partly  by  surprise  at  this  unexpected 
stroke,  and  partly  by  the  pain  caused  by  it,  the  quadru- 
ped uttered  a  shrill  cry ;  and  at  once  scrambling  down 
from  the  tree,  seemed  only  anxious  to  make  his  escape. 
In  this  design  he,  no  doubt,  would  have  succeeded,  with 
only  the  loss  of  an  eye ;  but  the  eye  of  still  another 
enemy  had  been  upon  him,  —  one  whom  he  had  yet  to 
.  encoimter.  Fritz,  from  his  position  neai-  the  bottom  of 
the  tree,  attracted  by  the  noise  of  the  strife,  had  drawn 
nearer  ;  and  looking  up,  had  been  watching  the  combat 
throughout.  It  is  scarcely  probable  that  the  sympathies 
of  honest  Fritz  could  have  been  otherwise  than  in  favor 
of  the  innocent  bird,  and  against  the  guilty  beast ;  but 
whatever  way  they  may  have  been  inclined,  certain  it  is 
that  as  the  panda  came  to  "  grass,"  the  dog  "  jumped  " 
it  upon  the  instant,  and  commenced  worryuig  it,  as  if 
the  creature  had  been  the  oldest  and  bitterest  of  his 


enemies 


Despite  the  suddenness  of  this  new  attack  —  equally 
unexpected  as  the  peck  in  the  eye  —  the  fierce  panda 
showed  no  signs  of  yielding  without  a  struggle  ;  and, 
although  far  overmatched  by  its  canine  antagonist,  it 
was  likely  to  give  the  latter  a  scratch  or  two,  as  souve- 
nirs that  he  would  carry  to  his  grave. 


FKITZ    INTEIU'EIIES.  77 

But  at  this  moment  a  much  greater  danger  was 
threatening  Fritz  than  any  harm  he  miglit  suffer  from 
the  claws  of  the  panda ;  and  had  chance  not  favored 
him,  as  he  jumped  about  in  the  struggle,  by  turning  his 
eyes  in  a  particular  direction,  he  would  have  found  him- 
self in  the  clutches  of  an  antagonist,  that  would  have 
shown  him  as  little  mercy  as  he  was  himself  extending 
to  the  poor  panda. 

But  he  was  favored  by  chance  :  for  it  was  nothing 
more  that  directed  his  glance  towards  his  old  pursuer, 
the  elephant ;  and  showed  him  the  latter,  at  that  mo- 
ment advancing  upon  him  at  a  charging  pace,  with  eyes 
sparkling  in  silent  vengeance,  and  trunk  extended  to 
seize  him.  Under  the  circumstances,  it  did  not  cost 
Fritz  a  moment's  calculation  as  to  what  course  he  should 
pursue.  Suddenly  dropping  the  panda  —  as  if  he  had 
discovered  the  quadruped  to  be  a  lump  of  poison  —  he 
bounded  from  the  spot  in  a  direction  the  very  opposite 
to  that  by  which  the  elephant  was  approaching  ;  and  in 
less  than  a  score  of  seconds  the  only  part  of  him  to  be 
seen  was  the  tip  of  his  tail  just  disappearing  into  the 
tMcket. 

Of  all  the  creatures  that  had  borne  part  in  this  curious 
affray,  the  poor  panda  was  perhaps  the  most  to  be  pitied. 
At  all  events  he  was  the  most  unfortunate :  for  with  the 
drama  ended  also  his  life.  In  every  one  encountered  by 
him  he  had  found  an  enemy ;  and  in  the  last  he  met 
with  a  dread  foe  that  soon  made  a  finish  of  him.  This 
last  was  the  elephant.  The  great  animal,  rushing  for- 
ward upon  Fritz,  seeing  that  the  latter  had  escaped,  was 
determined  this  time  not  to  be  balked  of  a  victim.  In- 
stead of  carrying  out  the  design  it  had  only  partially 


78  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

resolved  upon,  —  that  of  following  Fritz  into  the  forest, 
—  it  suddenly  altered  its  plan,  and  transferred  its  hos- 
tility to  the  panda.  It  saw  that  the  latter  was  within 
reach  :  for,  half  blinded  by  the  beak  of  the  bird,  and  half 
worried  to  death  by  the  dog,  the  creature  did  not  per- 
ceive, as  Fritz  had  done,  the  approach  of  the  elephant. 
It  is  possible  it  may  have  seen  the  danger,  but  not  until 
the  elephant  had  got  in  such  dangerous  proximity  as  left 
it  no  chance  of  escape. 

Before  the  panda  could  make  the  slightest  effort  to  get 
away  from  the  ground,  the  elephant  had  lapped  its  pre- 
hensile proboscis  around  it,  and  lifted  it  into  the  air. as  if 
ite  body  had  been  no  heavier  than  a  feather.  Holding 
it  aloft,  the  merciless  monster  took  several  long  strides 
in  the  direction  of  the  fallen  obelisk;  and  then,  as  if 
choosing  a  spot  suitable  for  its  design,  it  placed  the  stUl 
struggling  body  of  the  panda  upon  the  ground,  set  its 
huge  fore-feet  uj^on  it,  and  using  them  alternately,  con- 
tinued to  trample  it  until  the  only  vestige  left  of  the 
crushed  creature  was  a  shaj)eless  mass  of  fur  and  flesh ! 

It  was  a  painful  sj^ectacle  to  those  in  the  tree ;  but  it 
was  succeeded  by  a  sight  that  was  jaleasant  to  all  three  : 
the  sight  of  the  elephant's  hind  quarters  as  it  walked  off 
toward  the  woods,  evidently  with  the  intention  of  retir- 
ing from  the  ground. 

Whether  its  vengeance  had  been  satisfied  by  the  de- 
struction of  the  panda,  or  whether  it  had  gone  off  in 
search  of  Fritz,  none  of  the  three  could  conjecture ;  but 
whatever  may  have  been  the  motive,  certain  it  is  that  it 
guided  the  rogue  from  the  spot,  and  raised  a  siege  that 
was  on  the  point  of  becoming  exceedingly  irksome. 


"death  to  the  rogue."  79 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

"death  to  the  rogue." 

As  soon  as  the  elephant  was  fairly  out  of  sight,  the 
besieged  took  counsel  among  themselves  about  descend- 
ing to  the  earth.  They  were  sorely  tired  of  the  positions 
which  they  had  been  so  long  constrained  to  keep ;  for,  to 
tell  the  truth,  sitting  astride  upon  the  hard  branch  of 
a  tree,  though  easy  enough  for  a  short  spell,  becomes 
in  time  so  painful  as  to  be  almost  unendurable.  Caspar 
especially  had  grown  impatient  of  this  irksome  inaction  ; 
and  highly  exasperated  at  the  rogue  who  was  forcing  it 
upon  them.  Several  times  had  he  been  on  the  point 
of  forsaking  his  perch,  and  stealing  down  for  his  gun; 
but  Karl,  each  time  perceiving  his  design,  very  prudently 
persuaded  him  to  forego  it. 

All  were  anxious  enough  to  get  out  of  the  tree ;  and 
they  would  have  vacated  their  seats  at  once  on  the  disap- 
pearance of  their  dreaded  enemy,  had  they  been  certain 
that  he  was  gone  for  good  ;  but  they  were  suspicious  that 
it  might  be  only  a  temporary  absence,  —  perhaps  some 
ruse  of  the  rogue  to  decoy  them  down :  for  elephants  of 
this  character  hav6  been  known  to  practise  tricks  with 
almost  as  much  cunning  as  rogues  among  men. 

While  holding  counsel  as  to  how  they  had  best  act, 
Ossaroo  cut  short  their  deliberations  by  volunteering 
to  descend  first ;  and  by  stealing  a  short  way  along  the 


80  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

track  whicti  the  elephant  had  taken,  ascertain  whether 
he  was  really  gone  from  the  ground,  or  only  lying  in 
ambush  near  the  skirt  of  the  forest. 

As  the  shikaree  could  creep  through  underwood  as 
silently  as  a  snake,  there  could  be  no  great  danger  in  his 
doing  this,  provided  he  did  not  go  too  far.  He  could 
not  fail  to  see  the  elephant  before  approaching  too  near 
to  it ;  and  in  the  event  of  its  turning  and  pursuing  him, 
he  could  once  more  flee  to  their  tree-fortress. 

He  scarcely  waited  for  the  consent  of  his  companions ; 
but,  immediately  after  conceiving  the  idea,  he  let  him- 
self down  among  the  branches ;  and  once  on  the  ground, 
glided  hurriedly,  but  cautiously,  off  in  the  direction  taken 
by  the  elephant. 

Karl  and  Caspar  stayed  some  five  minutes  longer  upon 
their  perch;  but  the  shikaree  not  returning  as  soon  as 
they  had  expected,  they  became  impatient,  and  also 
dropped  down  from  the  tree. 

Their  first  act  was  to  recover  their  guns,  and  reload 
them ;  and  then,  taking  stand  in  a  position  from  which, 
in  case  of  being  suddenly  attacked,  they  could  easily 
spring  back  among  the  branches,  they  awaited  the  return 
of  Ossaroo. 

A  considerable  time  elapsed,  without  their  either  see- 
ing or  hearing  aught  of  the  shikaree.  Indeed,  they  heard 
nothing:  for  a  complete  silence  reigned  around  them, 
broken  only  now  and  then  by  the  fluttering  of  the  wings 
of  the  old  male  hornbill,  —  who  was  still  keeping  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  nest,  apparently  puzzled  to  make 
out  by  what  mysterious  combination  of  circumstances  he 
had  been  so  abruptly  disembarrassed  of  his  adversary, 
the  panda. 


"death  to  the  rogue."  81 

The  movements  of  the  bird  had  no  longer  any  interest 
for  Karl  and  Caspax",  —  who  were  beginning  to  grow 
uneasy  at  the  prolonged  absence  of  Ossaroo. 

Soon  after,  however,  they  were  relieved  from  their 
suspense,  by  seeing  the  shikaree  emerging  from  the 
underwood,  and  advancing  at  a  quick  pace  to  the  open 
ground.  They  had  the  additional  pleasure  of  beholding 
Fritz  following  at  his  heels.  The  dog  had  joined  Ossa- 
roo near  the  edge  of  the  timber,  —  where  he  had  been 
quietly  secreting  himself  from  the  eyes  of  the  dreaded 
elephant. 

As  Ossaroo  drew  near,  both  Karl  and  Caspar  noticed 
an  expression  upon  his  countenance,  which,  combined 
with  his  hurried  advance,  told  that  he  had  something 
of  an  important  nature  to  communicate. 

"  Well,  Ossy,"  asked  Casjjar,  who  was  the  first  to 
speak,  "  what  news  ?  Have  you  seen  anything  more  of 
the  rogue  ?  " 

"  Ah,  rogue  indeed ! "  replied  Ossaroo,  in  a  tone  ex- 
pressive of  some  secret  fear.  "  You  speakee  true,  sahib ; 
the  rogue,  if  he  no  worse." 

"  Why,  what  now  ?  Have  you  seen  anything  stace 
you  left  us?" 

"  Seen,  sahibs !     Where  you  tinkee  he  now  gone  ?  " 

"Where?" 

"  Hee  go  for  de  hut." 

"For  the  hut?" 

"  Straight  trackee.  Ah,  sahibs  !  "  continued  the  shik- 
aree, speaking  in  a  low  voice,  and  with  an  air  of  super- 
stitious terror  ;  "  dat  animal  too  wise  for  dis  world  ;  he 
know  too  much.     I  fear  him  be  no  elphan'  after  all,  but 

4*  F 


82  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

only  de  Devil,  who  hah  takee  elephan'  shape.     Why  he 
go  back  there  ?  " 

"  Ah  !  why,  I  wonder,"  inquired  Caspar.  "  Do  you 
thmk,"  added  he,  "  it  is  m  the  hope  of  finding  us  there  ? 
If  that 's  his  purpose,"  he  contiuued,  without  waiting  for 
a  reply,  "  we  shall  have  no  peace  so  long  as  he  remains 
alive.  We  must  either  kill  him,  or  he  will  do  as  much 
for  us." 

"Sahibs,"  observed  the  Hindoo,  with  a  significant 
shake  of  the  head,  "  we  no  able  killee  him ;  that  ele- 
phan'  he  nebba  die." 

"  O,  nonsense,  Ossy !  If  that 's  what  you  mean,"  re- 
joined Caspar,  disdainfully  repudiating  the  superstitious 
belief  of  the  shikaree  ;  "  there  is  not  much  doubt  of  our 
being  able  to  kill  him,  if  we  once  get  a  fair  shot ;  and 
by  my  word,  the  sooner  we  set  about  it  the  better.  It 's 
evident,  from  his  having  gone  back  to  our  hut,  that  he 
has  some  wicked  design.  Very  likely  he  remembers 
being  first  attacked  there  by  Fritz ;  and  as  he  may  be 
under  the  belief  that  the  dog  has  retreated  there,  he  is 
gone  in  search  of  him.  Ho,  Fritz,  old  fellow !  you 
need  n't  be  afraid.  You  can  easily  get  out  of  his  way, 
whenever  you  like.  Your  masters  are  in  more  danger 
than  you,  my  boy." 

"  You  are  sure,  Ossaroo,"  said  Karl,  who  had  stood  for 
some  time  silently  reflecting,  — "  you  are  sure  he  has 
gone  to  the  hut  ?  " 

In  reply  to  this  interrogation,  Ossaroo  would  not  state 
positively  that  he  had  seen  the  elephant  arrive  on  the 
very  spot  where  the  hovel  stood ;  but  he  had  followed 
his  track  through  the  belt  of  heavy  timber ;  and  then, 
having  climbed  a  tree,  had  descried  the  great  quadi-uped 


"DEATH    TO    THE    ROGUE."  83 

moving  in  the  direction  of  the  hut.  He  had  no  doubt 
it  was  for  that  point  he  was  making,  though  with  what 
design  Ossaroo  could  not  guess,  —  his  superstitious  dread 
having  hindered  him  from  venturing  upon  any  conjec- 
ture. 

"  One  thing  is  clear,"  said  Karl,  after  another  interval 
spent  in  reflection :  "  it  wiU  be  no  use  our  attempting  to 
continue  the  survey  we  have  commenced,  until  the  ele- 
phant be  got  out  of  the  way.  What  you  say,  brother 
Caspar,  is  quite  true.  Now  that  he  has  become  aware 
of  our  presence,  and  has,  moreover,  been  roused  to  fury 
by  the  wounds  we  have  given  him,  it  is  not  likely  he 
will  forget  what  has  passed ;  and  we  can  hope  for  neither 
peace  nor  safety  till  we  have  succeeded  in  destroying 
him.  There  is  no  reason  why  we  should  not  set  about 
it  at  once,  but  every  reason  why  we  should.  Our  very 
lives  depend  upon  his  destruction;  and  they  will  not  be 
safe  till  that  has  been  accomplished." 

"  Let  us  after  him  at  once,  then,"  cried  Caspar  ;  "  and 
be  our  motto, '  Death  to  the  rogue  I ' " 


84  THE   CLIFF-CLIMBEKS. 


CHAPTER    XIX. 


A  HOME   IN   RUINS. 


"Without  further  delay,  our  adventurers  took  the 
back  track  towards  the  hut,  which  was  exactly  that 
which  the  elephant  had  taken,  —  as  they  could  tell  by 
traces  of  the  animal  all  along  the  route,  which  the  ex- 
perienced eye  of  the  shikaree  had  already  discovered, 
and  which  he  now  pointed  out  to  his  companions  as  they 
passed  on.  Here  and  there  its  great  footprints  were 
visible  in  the  turf,  in  places  where  the  ground  was  soft ; 
and  at  other  places  where  no  tracks  appeared,  leaves 
and  twigs  freshly  strewn  upon  the  earth,  and  also 
branches  of  considerable  size  broken  off  from  the  trees, 
and  borne  for  some  distance  before  being  dropped,  clear- 
ly indicated  to  Ossaroo  the  route  which  the  rogue  had 
taken. 

The  shikaree  had  often  followed  the  spoor  'of  wild 
elephants  through  the  jungles  of  Bengal,  and  knew 
everything  about  their  way  of  travelling.  He  was, 
therefore,  able  to  tell  the  others  that  the  rogue  had  not 
been  browsing  as  he  went,  —  for  the  leaves  and  twigs 
showed  no  signs  of  his  teeth,  —  but,  on  the  contrary,  he 
had  moved  forward  rapidly,  and  as  if  with  some  special 
determination.  The  broken  branches  which  they  saw 
were  more  likely  to  have  been  torn  off  out  of  spite  at 
the  ill-usage  he  had  received,  and  the  disappointment  at 
not  having  succeeded  in  his  purposes  of  vengeance. 


A   HOME   IN   RUINS.  85 

It  did  not  need  for  Ossaroo  to  caution  his  companions 
to  circumspection.  They  knew  as  well  as  he  that  an 
elephant  enraged  as  this  one  was,  whether  a  rogiie  ele- 
phant or  an  honest  one,  was  anything  but  a  safe  customer 
to  come  in  contact  with ;  and  that  this  particular  rogue 
was  most  particularly  angry  they  had  just  had  both  ocu- 
lar and  auricular  evidence. 

They  went  forward,  therefore,  with  \musual  caution, 
taking  care  to  keep  both  their  eyes  and  ears  on  the  alert, 
and  at  the  same  time  moving  in  perfect  silence,  or  con- 
versing only  in  whispers. 

The  path  upon  which  they  were  returning  was  not 
that  by  which  they  had  gone  forth.  The  reconnoissance 
of  the  cliffs  had  carried  them  a  good  distance  around 
the  edge  of  the  valley ;  but  now  they  were  following 
the  track  taken  by  the  elephant,  which,  as  already  ascer- 
tained by  Ossaroo,  led  almost  in  a  direct  line  to  the  hut. 

As  they  drew  nearer  to  their  rude  habitation,  they 
saw  indications  that  the  enemy  was  stUl  before  them. 
As  they  knew  that  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of 
the  hot-sj)rmg,  and  consequently  of  the  hut  itself,  there 
were  no  large  trees  or  other  place  of  safety  to  which 
they  might  retreat  in  case  of  being  again  attacked,  they 
began  to  advance  with  increased  caution.  From  the 
direction  in  which  they  were  approaching,  the  hovel 
could  not  be  seen  untU  they  should  get  within  less  than 
two  hundred  yards  of  it.  There  was  a  belt  of  rather 
tall  jungle  to  be  passed  through,  and  then  it  would  be  in 
sight. 

.Through  this  jungle  they  commenced  advancing ;  and 
there,  to  their  no  slight  uneasiness,  they  also  observed 
fresh  traces  of  the  elephant.     They  were  now  certain 


86  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

that  he  had  passed  through  it  before  them,  still  going 
direct  for  the  hut. 

What  on  earth  can  he  want  there  ?  was  the  query 
that  once  more  suggested  itself  to  the  minds  of  all  three. 
It  certainly  looked  as  if  he  had  proceeded  there  in  search 
of  them!  As  if,  missing  them  from  the  scene  of  the 
encounter,  he  believed  they  had  returned  home,  and  was 
following  up  their  acquaintance. 

From  what  they  had  observed,  they  could  not  help 
attributing  to  the  great  quadruped  the  possession  of  an 
intelligence  sometliing  more  than  natural ;  and  this, 
though  it  may  have  been  only  an  absurd  fancy  on  their 
part,  had  the  effect  of  begetting  within  their  minds  a 
very  painful  feeling  of  apprehension.  What  they  saw 
on  coming  out  on  the  other  side  of  the  jungle  not  only 
strengthened  this  feeling  of  apprehension,  but  increased 
it  all  at  once  to  a  positive  terror. 

The  hut,  which  shoidd  now  have  been  before  their 
eyes,  and  at  a  distance  of  not  quite  two  hundred  paces, 
was  no  longer  there  !  The  ruins  of  it  alone  were  visible. 
The  large  bowlders  with  which  its  walls  had  been  built, 
the  beams  and  thatch  that  had  composed  its  roof,  the 
grass  couches  upon  which  they  had  slept,  the  rude  im- 
provised utensils  and  other  articles  which  had  served 
them  for  furniture,  were  all  strewed  far  and  wide  over 
the  ground ;  and  not  the  semblance  of  a  house,  or  even 
hovel,  remained  to  show  that  the  spot  had  been  occupied 
by  a  human  habitation  ! 

Yes,  —  in  what  had  been  their  rude  dwelling  our  ad- 
venturers beheld  only  a  ruder  ruin,  —  scarce  one  stone 
standing  upon  anotlier ! 

They  beheld   all    this    with  feelings   of  fear,  —  ay, 


A   HOME    IN  ^UINS.  87 

sometliing  stronger,  —  with  awe.  The  Pagan  worship- 
per of  Brahma  or  Vishnu  was  no  longer  alone  in  his 
superstitious  imaginings.  His  young  Christian  com- 
panions were  almost  equally  victims  to  a  belief  in  the 
supernatural.  They  comprehended  well  enough  what 
had  caused  the  destruction  of  the  house.  Though  the 
author  of  that  mischief  was  nowhere  to  be  seen,  they 
knew  it  was  the  elephant.  There  was  no  alternative 
but  to  accept  that  explanation ;  and  it  was  not  the  act 
itself  that  was  awing  them,  but  the  contemplation  of  the 
human-like,  or  rather  demon-like,  intelligence  that  had 
guided  the  animal  thither,  and  instructed  it  to  this  act 
of  retribution,  perhaps  only  preliminary  to  a  still  greater 
one. 

Though  the  work  of  devastation  could  not  have  been 
completed  many  minutes  before  their  arrival,  the  eler 
pliant  appeared  to  have  gone  away  from  the  ground. 
At  least,  it  was  not  to  be  seen  anywhere  near  the  spot ; 
and  it  is  needless  to  say  that  it  was  carefully  looked  for. 
Dreading  its  dangerous  proximity,  they  had  kept  under 
cover  of  the  bushes  while  contemplating  the  ruin  from 
a  distance ;  and  it  was  not  until  after  a  considerable  in- 
terval had  elapsed  that  they  ventured  forward  over  the 
open  space  to  ascertain  the  full  extent  of  the  damage. 

This  they  at  length  did,  and  found  that  it  was  total 
destruction.  So  far  as  the  hut  was  concerned,  not  a 
vestige  of  construction  remained,  —  walls  and  roof  had 
been  alike  levelled  with  the  ground.  But  what  was  a 
greater  source  of  chagrin  to  the  now  homeless  plant- 
hunters,  was  that  their  little  store  of  ammunition,  —  the 
gunpowder,  which  during  all  the  period  of  their  impris- 
onment they  had  been  carefully  hoarding,  —  was  spilled 


88  THE    CUFF-CLIMBERS. 

among  the  rubbish,  and  of  course  irrecoverable.  It  had 
been  deposited  in  a  large  goui'd-shell  prepared  for  the 
purpose  ;  and  this,  among  other  similar  chattels,  the  en- 
raged quadruped  had  crushed  under  its  feet.  Their 
cured  provisions  had  also  been  turned  out  from  their 
place  of  deposit,  and  trampled  into  the  dust  of  the  earth. 
But  this,  though  also  a  chagrin,  was  one  of  less  bitter- 
ness. Other  provisions  might  be  obtained,  —  not  now 
so  easily,  since  the  powder  was  destroyed,  —  but  the 
latter  they  could  not  replace. 


UP   A   TREE   AGAIN  !  89 


CHAPTER    XX. 


UP  A   TREE    again! 


They  miglit  have  remained  longer  on  the  ground 
lamenting  this  irreparable  loss,  but  that  they  were  still 
apprehensive  of  the  return  of  the  elephant.  Whither 
had  it  gone  ?  That  was  the  question  which  one  was  ad- 
dressing to  the  other,  while  the  eyes  of  all  kept  turning 
in  different  directions,  and  with  glances  that  betrayed 
their  uneasiness. 

The  rogue  could  not  have  been  off  the  ground  more 
than  a  very  few  minutes  :  the  grass  that  he  had  trampled 
down  was  still  wet  with  its  own  sap,  crushed  out  by  his 
ponderous  weight.  And  yet  he  might  have  been  seen 
all  around  for  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  mile's  distance. 
There  was  no  timber  within  that  distance  that  could 
have  given  concealment  to  an  animal  so  bulky  as  an 
elephant  ? 

So  thought  Karl  and  Caspar ;  but  Ossaroo  was  of  a 
different  opinion.  The  bit  of  jungle  through  which 
they  had  passed  would  suffice  to  screen  the  rogue,  said 
he  ;  adding  at  the  same  time  a  piece  of  intelhgence  de- 
rived from  his  shikaree  experience :  that  an  elephant, 
large  as  it  is,  can  hide  in  a  slight  cover  with  wonderful 
cunning ;  that  its  sagacity  enables  it  to  select  the  best 
place  for  concealment ;  and  that,  although  it  neither 
crouches  nor  squats,  it  contrives,  by  keeping  perfectly 


90  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

still,  —  added  to  the  circumstance  of  its  being  a  shape- 
less sort  of  mass,  —  ofttimes  to  elude  the  eye  of  the 
most  vigilant  hunter.  Though  Karl  and  Caspar  could 
scarcely  credit  him,  Ossaroo  expressed  his  belief,  not 
only  that  the  elephant  might  be  hid  in  the  scant  jungle 
they  were  talking  about,  but  that  it  actually  was  there. 

Unfortunately  for  them,  Ossaroo's  argument  was  too 
soon  to  be  supported  by  facts  which  left  no  doubt  of  its 
accuracy.  As  they  stood  scanning  the  jungle  with  keen 
glances,  and  with  ears  acutely  bent  to  catch  every  sound 
that  might  issue  from  it,  a  movement  was  perceptible 
among  the  tops  of  some  tall  saplings  that  grew  near  its 
centre.  In  the  next  moment  a  brace  of  the  beautiful 
argus  pheasants  rose  on  whirring  wing,  at  the  same  time 
giving  forth  their  loud  note  of  alarm. 

The  birds,  forsaking  the  jungle,  in  their  flight  passed 
over  the  heads  of  our  adventurers,  and  by  their  cries 
caused  such  a  clangor  as  to  set  Fritz  off  into  a  prolonged 
fit  of  braying. 

Whether  it  was  that  the  enemy  had  been  only  lying 
in  ambush,  waiting  for  a  good  opportunity  to  charge,  or 
whether  the  voice  of  the  dog  —  already  known  and 
hated  —  had  been  just  then  heard  by  the  elephant,  stir- 
ring him  to  a  fresh  thirst  for  vengeance,  certain  it  is, 
that  before  a  sentence  could  be  exchanged  among  the 
terrified  trio,  the  long  conical  trunk  and  broad  massive 
shoulders  were  visible  through  the  scanty  jungle  ;  and 
it  was  plain  to  all  that  the  monster  was  making  towards 
them  with  that  deceptive  shamble  which,  though  only  a 
walk,  carries  the  huge  quadruped  over  the  ground  al- 
most with  the  speed  of  a  galloping  horse. 

For  a  moment  our  adventurers  stood  their  ground,  — • 


UP   A    TREE    AGAIN  !  91 

not,  however,  with  any  idea  of  awaiting  the  attack  or 
attempting  to  repel  it ;  but  simply  because  they  knew 
not  in  what  direction  to  retreat. 

So  dismayed  were  they  at  the  sight  of  the  advancing 
enemy,  that  it  was  some  seconds  before  any  of  the  thi'ee 
could  suggest  a  plan  that  offered  a  jirospect  of  escape. 
Rather  mechanically  than  otherwise  did  Karl  and  Cas- 
par bring  then*  pieces  to  the  level,  with  the  intention  of 
firing  in  the  face  of  the  foe  :  for  they  had  but  little  hope 
that  the  lead  from  their  gims,  both  of  light  calibre,  would 
stop  his  impetuous  charge. 

Both  fired  at  the  same  instant ;  and  then  Caspar  de- 
livered his  second  shot ;  but,  just  as  they  had  expected, 
the  elephant  continued  to  charge  onward. 

Fortunately  for  them,  the  shikaree  had  not  conde- 
scended to  draw  the  string  of  his  bow.  Experience 
had  taught  him  that  under  such  circumstances  an  aiTow 
was  an  useless  weapon.  He  might  as  well  have  at- 
tempted to  kick  the  elephant,  or  stick  a  pin  into  its 
trunk ;  either  of  which  proceedings  would  have  damaged 
the  animal  nearly  as  much,  and  perhaps  ii-ritated  it  a 
little  less,  than  would  one  of  Ossaroo's  arrows. 

Knowing  tliis,  the  shikaree,  instead  of  bothering  him- 
self with  his  bow,  or  wasting  time  by  any  thoughts  of 
resistance,  had  occupied  the  few  seconds  left  for  consid- 
eration in  a  rapid  reconnoissance  of  the  neighborhood, 
—  to  see  if  it  offered  any  chance  of  escape. 

To  tell  the  truth,  the  vicinity  appeared  rather  un- 
promising. The  cliffs  offered  no  ledge  upon  which  they 
might  have  climbed  out  of  reach  of  the  rogue ;  the 
jungle  might  have  afforded  them  a  temporary  shelter ; 
but,  although  it  had  concealed  the  elephant  from  their 


92  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

eyes,  it  could  not  long  conceal  them  from  the  eyes  of 
such  a  sagacious  creature  as  their  antagonist  appeared 
to  be.  Besides,  the  elephant  was  between  them  and  it, 
and  to  retreat  in  that  direction  would  be  to  run  point 
blank  upon  its  proboscis ! 

Fortunately,  in  this  moment  of  uncertainty  and  ir- 
resolution, a  point  of  safety  appeared  to  the  eye  of  the 
shikaree,  in  the  shape  of  a  tree,  —  the  only  one  near 
the  spot.  It  was  a  tree  that  had  already  been  instru- 
mental in  saving  his  life :  for  it  was  the  same  that  stood 
by  the  little  straits  where  Ossaroo  had  set  his  nets,  and 
by  means  of  which  Caspar  had  been  enabled  to  hoist 
him  up  out  of  the  quicksand. 

This  tree  was  a  very  large  one ;  and  standing  alone, 
its  branches,  free  to  extend  their  growth,  had  spread 
far  out  in  every  direction,  almost  stretching  across  the 
straits. 

Ossaroo  wasted  not  the  precious  moments  in  idle  re- 
flection, but  shouting  to  the  young  sahibs,  and  signaling 
them  to  follow  his  example,  he  struck  off  towards  the 
tree  with  all  the  speed  that  lay  in  his  legs ;  and  not  tUl 
he  had  got  up  to  the  third  or  fourth  tier  of  branches,  did 
he  look  behind  him  to  see  whether  his  advice  had  been 
taken. 

The  young  sahibs  had  adopted  his  suggestion  with 
alacrity,  without  staying  a  moment  to  question  its  pro- 
priety ;  and  both  were  up  the  tree  almost  as  soon  as  the 
shikaree  himself. 


AN   IMPLACABLE   BESIEGER.  93 


CHAPTER    XXI. 


AN    IMPLACABLE    BESIEGER. 


Fritz  had  retreated  with  his  masters  as  far  as  the 
bottom  of  the  tree ;  but,  possessing  only  canine  claws, 
he  was  not  a  climber  ;  and,  of  course,  could  follow  them 
no  farther.  But,  if  he  could  not  ascend  the  tree,  he  had 
no  intention  of  remaining  under  it,  —  when  he  saw  no 
chance  of  avoiding  the  vengeance  of  the  elej^hant, — 
and,  without  pausing  for  a  moment,  he  plunged  into  the 
water,  and  swam  across  the  straits.  Then  wading  out 
on  the  opposite  bank,  he  scuttled  off  into  a  cover  of 
reeds  which  grew  along  the  shore  of  the  lake,  and  there 
concealed  himself. 

This  time  the  elephant  paid  no  attention  to  the  dog. 
It  was  upon  the  hunters  alone  that  its  eyes  were  fixed ; 
and  towards  them  its  vindictive  designs  were  now 
specially  directed.  It  had  been  close  upon  their  heels, 
as  they  ran  over  the  open  ground,  and  distinctly  saw 
them  ascendhig  into  the  tree.  Indeed,  so  near  was  it, 
that  both  Karl  and  Caspar  were  once  more  obhged 
to  let  go  their  guns,  in  order  that  they  might  have 
both  hands  free  for  cHmbing.  Otherwise  they  might 
have  been  too  late  to  get  out  of  reach,  and  the  least 
delay  on  their  part  might  have  been  fatal  to  one  or 
both. 

Karl  was  the  last  to  climb  up ;  and  just  as  he  lifted 


94  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

his  feet  from  a  branch  to  set  them  on  one  higher  up, 
the  rogue  twisted  his  trunk  around  the  former,  and 
snapped  it  in  two,  as  if  it  had  been  only  a  slender 
reed. 

But  Karl,  with  the  others,  was  now  beyond  his  reach ; 
and  all  thi'ee  congratulated  themselves  on  once  more 
having  escaped  from  a  danger  that  was  nothing  short 
of  death  itself. 

If  possible,  the  elephant  was  now  more  enraged  than 
ever.  It  had  not  only  been  a  second  time  balked  in 
its  vengeance,  but  had  received  three  fresh  bullet- 
wounds  ;  which,  though  mere  scratches  upon  the  skin 
of  its  huge  cranium,  were  sore  enough  to  irritate  it  to 
an  extreme  degree.  Uttering  its  shrill,  trumpet-like 
screech,  it  flourished  its  proboscis  high  in  the  air ;  and 
seizing  the  branches  that  were  within  its  reach,  it 
snapped  them  off  from  the  main  stem  as  if  they  had 
been  tiny  twigs. 

In  a  short  time  the  tree,  which  had  been  furnished 
with  low-spreading  limbs,  was  completely  stripped  of 
these  to  a  height  of  nearly  twenty  feet  from  the  ground ; 
while  the  space  underneath  had  become  strewn  with 
twigs,  leaves,  and  broken  branches,  crushed  into  a  litter 
under  the  broad,  ponderous  hooves  of  the  mammoth  as 
he  kept  moving  incessantly  over  them. 

Not  content  with  stripping  the  tree  of  its  branches, 
the  old  tusker  seized  hold  of  its  trunk,  —  lapping  his 
own  trunk  as  far  as  he  could  around  it,  —  and  com- 
menced tugging  at  it,  as  if  he  had  hopes  of  being  able 
to  drag  it  up  by  the  roots. 

Perceiving  after  trial  that  this  feat  was  beyond  his 
power,  he  relaxed  his  hold,  and  then  set  about  another 


AN    IMPLACABLE    BESIEGER.  95 

experiment,  —  that  of  pushing  down  the  tree  with  his 
shoulder. 

Although  he  succeeded  in  causing  the  tree  to  tremble, 
he  soon  became  satisfied  that  it  stood  firm  enough  to 
resist  all  his  strength,  great  as  it  was ;  and  under  this 
conviction  he  at  length  desisted  from  the  attempt. 

He  showed  no  sign,  however,  of  any  intention  to 
leave  the  ground;  but,  on  the  contraiy,  took  his  stand 
under  the  tree :  since  the  very  oj^posite  was  the  deter- 
mination which  he  had  formed  in  his  mind. 

Although  confident  that  they  were  in  security,  our 
adventurers  were  anything  but  exultant.  They  saw 
that  they  were  only  safe  for  the  time ;  and,  that  al- 
though their  dreaded  adversary  might  after  a  while 
withdraw  and  leave  them  free  to  descend,  still  there 
could  be  no  security  for  the  future.  They  had  now 
less  hope  of  being  able  to  destroy  this  powerful  enemy : 
as  they  had  only  one  charge  left  for  their  guns,  and  that 
might  not  be  sufiicient  to  take  away  his  life.  The 
spilling  of  their  powder  by  the  elephant  itself  seemed 
like  a  piece  of  strategy  on  his  part,  leaving  them  in  a 
sad  dilemma. 

Inside  any  house  they  might  build  they  would  be  no 
better  protected  against  him  than  on  the  open  ground : 
for  the  rogue  had  proved  himself  capable  of  demolish- 
ing the  strongest  walls  they  might  construct ;  and  to  be 
out  of  his  reach,  they  would  be  obliged  ^to  keep  eter- 
nally among  the  tops  of  the  trees,  and  lead  the  hfe  of 
monkeys  or  squirrels,  —  which  would  be  a  very  disa- 
greeable kind  of  existence. 

Just  then  an  idea  occurred  to  Caspar  that  offered 
them  an  alternative  to  this  unpleasant  prospect  of  an 


96  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

arboreal  life.  He  bethought  him  of  the  cave  in  which 
they  had  killed  the  bear.  It  could  only  be  reached  by 
a  ladder,  and  would  of  course  be  inaccessible  to  the 
elephant.  Once  out  of  their  present  dilemma,  they 
mig-ht  seek  refuge  there. 


DRAWING   THEIR   DRINK.  97 


CHAPTER    XXII. 


DRAWING  THEIR  DRINK. 


The  idea  about  the  cave  was  a  good  one,  and  gave 
them  some  little  comfort  in  the  midst  of  their  tribula- 
tion. 

Still,  it  was  not  much ;  for  although  they  would  be 
safe  enough  while  in  the  cavern,  they  could  not  accom- 
plish anything  there.  The  want  of  light  would  hinder 
them  from  working  at  the  ladders  ;  and  while  cutting  the 
timber  out  of  which  to  make  them,  and  every  hour  that 
they  might  be  engaged  upon  them,  they  would  be  ex- 
posed to  the  attacks  of  their  implacable  enemy. 

The  prospect  was  sufficiently  discouraging,  —  even 
with  the  knowledge  that  the  cave  would  offer  them  a 
safe  asylum  to  which  they  coidd  retreat  whenever  pur- 
sued. 

As  the  elephant  remained  comparatively  tranquU  for 
a  length  of  time,  these  thoughts  of  future  operations  had 
engaged  their  attention.  Confident  in  their  present 
security,  tliey  were  not  troubled  by  the  fear  of  any 
iromediate  danger. 

Very  soon,  however,  this  confidence  began  to  forsake 
them.  How  long  were  they  going  to  be  kept  in  the 
tree  ?  That  was  a  question  that  now  presented  itself; 
and  as  the  time  passed,  became  a  source  of  uneasiness. 

Though  none  of  them  could  answer  this  question,  yet 
5  o 


98  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

all  could  understand  that  the  siege  promised  to  be  a 
long  one,  —  perhaps  much  longer  than  that  which  had 
so  lately  been  raised  :  for  the  rogue,  inspired  by  a  rage 
profound  and  implacable,  exhibited  in  his  sullen  look 
a  determination  to  stand  his  ground  for  an  indefinite 
period  of  time.  Seeing  this,  our  adventurers  once  more 
became  uneasy.  Not  only  was  their  situation  irksome, 
—  from  the  fact  of  their  having  to  sit  astride  slender 
branches,  —  but  should  the  siege  be  continued,  they 
wovild  be  subjected  to  that  danger  peculiar  to  all  people 
besieged,  —  the  danger  of  starvation.  Even  at  the  out- 
set all  three  were  as  hungry  as  wolves.  They  had  eaten 
but  a  very  light  breakfast,  and  nothing  since  :  for  they 
had  not  foimd  time  to  cook  dinner.  It  was  now  late  in 
the  afternoon ;  and  should  the  enemy  continue  there  all 
night,  they  would  have  to  go  to  bed  supperless.  Ah ! 
to  bed  indeed.  Perhaps  there  would  be  neither  bed  nor 
sleep  that  night :  for  how  could  they  slumber  upon 
those  hard  branches  ?  Should  they  lose  consciousness 
for  a  moment,  they  would  drop  off,  and  tumble  down 
upon  their  sleepless  besieger !  Even  should  they  tie 
themselves  in  the  tree,  to  go  to  sleep  upon  such  narrow 
couches  would  be  out  of  the  question. 

Thus,  then,  they  saw  no  prospect  of  either  supper  or 
sleep  for  that  night.  But  there  was  another  appetite 
now  annoying  them  far  worse  than  either- hunger  or 
longing  for  sleep.  It  was  the  desire  to  drink.  The 
rough  and  varied  exercise  which  they  had  been  com- 
pelled to  take  since  starting  in  the  morning,  —  climbing 
trees,  and  skulkmg  through  pathless  jungles,  —  com- 
bined with  the  varied  emotions  which  their  repeated 
perils  had  called  up,  —  all  had   a  tendency  to  produce 


DRAWING   THEIR    DRINK.  99 

thirst ;  and  thirst  they  now  felt  in  an  extreme  degree. 
It  was  not  lessened  by  the  sight  of  the  water  shining 
beneath  them.  On  the  contrary,  this  only  increased  the 
craving  to  an  extent  that  was  almost  unendurable. 

For  a  considerable  time  they  bore  the  pain,  without 
any  hope  of  being  able  to  get  relieved  of  it ;  and  with 
the  lake  glistening  before  their  eyes  under  the  clear 
sunlight,  and  the  current  gently  gliding  through  the 
straits  underneath,  they  could  realize,  in  something  more 
than  fancy,  what  must  have  been  the  terrible  sufferings 
of  poor  Tantalus. 

After  submitting  to  this  infliction  for  a  considerable 
length  of  time,  an  exclamation  escaping  from  Caspar 
drew  upon  him  the  attention  of  the  others. 

"  Dunder  und  blitzen  !  "  cried  he  ;  "  what  have  we 
been  thinking  about  all  this  time?  The  three  of  us 
sitting  here  choking  with  thirst,  and  a  river  of  water 
within  our  reach ! " 

"  Within  our  reach  ?  I  wish  it  were,  Caspar,"  rejoined 
Karl,  in  rather  a  desponding  tone. 

"  Certainly  it  is  within  our  reach.     Look  here  !  " 

As  Caspar  spoke,  he  held  out  his  copper  powder- 
flask,  now  nearly  empty.  Karl  did  not  yet  quite  com- 
prehend him. 

"  Wliat  is  to  hinder  us  from  letting  this  down,"  he 
inquired,  "  and  drawing  it  up  again  full  of  water  ? 
Nothing.  Have  you  a  piece  of  string  about  you, 
Ossy  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sahib,  T  have,"  briskly  replied  the  shikaree,  at 
the  same  time  drawing  a  roll,  of  hemijen  twist  out  of 
the  breast  of  his  cotton  shirt,  and  holding  it  out  towards 
the  young  hunter. 


100  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

"  Long  enough,  it  is,"  said  Caspar,  taking  the  cord ; 
which  the  next  moment  he  attached  around  the  neck 
of  the  flask.  After  pouring  the  powder  into  his  bullet- 
pouch,  he  permitted  the  flask  to  drop  down  till  it  be- 
came immersed  under  the  current.  Allowing  it  to  re- 
main there,  till  it  had  become  filled  with  water,  he  drew 
it  up  again ;  and  with  a  congratulatory  exclamation 
presented  it  to  Karl,  telling  him  to  drink  to  his  heart's 
content.  This  injunction  Karl  obeyed  without  the  slight- 
est reluctance. 

The  flask  was  soon  emptied ;  and  once  more  let  down 
and  refilled,  and  again  emptied ;  and  this  series  of 
operations  was  continued,  until  all  were  satisfied,  and 
there  was  no  longer  a  thirsty  individual  in  the  top  of 
that  tree. 


A   GIGANTIC    SYRINGE.  101 


CHAPTER    XXIII. 

A   GIGANTIC    STKINGE. 

Having  by  Caspar's  ingenious  artifice  obtained  as 
mucli  water  as  they  wanted,  the  besieged  felt  better 
able  to  endure  their  irksome  situation.  They  were 
resigning  themselves  with  as  much  philosophy  as  they 
could  command  to  bear  it  a  little  longer,  when  to  their 
great  astonishment  they  were  treated  to  more  water 
than  they  wanted,  and  from  a  source  as  curious  as  was 
unexpected. 

Whether  the  elephant  had  taken  a  hint  from  seeing 
the  flask  plunged  down  into  the  water,  or  whether  the 
idea  had  occurred  to  it  without  being  suggested  by 
anything  in  particular,  it  would  be  difficult  to  say.  Cer- 
tain it  is,  that  just  after  the  last  flaskful  had  been 
pulled  up,  and  before  the  eddyiag  ripples  had  subsided 
from  the  surface,  the  rogue  was  seen  to  make  a  rush 
into  the  water,  at  the  same  time  deeply  submerging  his 
proboscis,  as  if  about  to  take  a  drink. 

For  some  moments  he  remained  ia  a  stationary  atti- 
tude, apparently  filling  his  capacious  stomach  with  the 
fluid. 

There  was  no  reason  why  he  should  not  be  as  thirsty 
as  themselves ;  and  the  spectators  in  the  tree  had  no 
other  thought,  than  that  the  great  quadruped  had  waded 
into  the  pool  simply  for  the  purpose  of  quencliing  his 
thirst. 


102  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBEKS. 

There  was  something  about  his  movements,  however, 
and  the  style  in  which  he  had  set  about  sucking  up  the 
water,  which  betrayed  a  different  determination  ;  and  it 
was  not  long  before  this  was  evinced  by  a  performance 
which,  under  other  circumstances,  might  have  evoked 
laughter  from  those  who  witnessed  it.  In  this  instance, 
however,  the  spectators  were  themselves  the  victims 
of  the  joke,  —  if  joke  it  might  be  terme^d,  —  and  during 
its  continuance,  not  one  of  the  three  felt  the  slightest 
inclination  to  indulge  in  mirth.  It  was  thus  that  the 
elephant  acted:  — 

Having  filled  its  trunk  with  the  water  of  the  stream, 
it  raised  it  aloft.  Then  pointing  it  towards  the  tree, 
and  even  dii'ecting  it  with  as  much  coolness  and  pre- 
cision as  an  astronomer  would  have  used  in  adjusting 
his  telescope,  it  sent  the  fluid  in  a  drencliing  stream 
into  the  faces  of  the  three  individuals  whom  it  was 
holding  in  siege.  All  three,  who  chanced  to  be  sitting 
close  together,  were  at  the  same  instant,  and  alike,  the 
victims  of  this  unexpected  deluge ;  and  before  any  of 
them  could  have  counted  half  a  score,  they  were  wet 
from  head  to  foot,  every  rag  upon  their  backs,  and 
fronts  too,  becoming  as  thoroughly  saturated  as  if  they 
had  been  exposed  for  hours  to  a  drenching  rain-storm ! 

But  the  elephant  was  not  satisfied  with  giving  them 
a  single  shower-bath.  As  soon  as  its  first  supply  was 
exhausted,  it  once  more  immersed  its  pliant  sucker, 
refilled  the  reservoir,  took  a  good  aim,  and  ejected  the 
fluid  into  their  faces. 

In  this  way  the  creature  continued  drawing  up  the 
water  from  the  stream,  and  squirtmg  it  from  its  vast 
muscular  syrmge,  until  it  had  douched  them  nearly  a 
dozen  times. 


A    GIGANTIC    SYlilNGE.  103 

Their  situation  was  anything  but  ^nviable ;  for  the 
watery  stream,  propelled  against  them  with  as  much 
force  as  from  the  hose-pipe  of  a  fii-e-engine,  almost  washed 
them  from  their  unstable  seats ;  to  say  nothing  of  the 
great  discomfort  which  the  douche  occasioned  them. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  guess  what  could  be  the  object 
of  the  elephant  in  this  curious  performance.  Perhaps 
it  may  have  conceived  a  hope  either  of  driving  them  out 
of  the  tree,  or  forcibly  washing  them  from  the  branches  ; 
or  perhaps  it  merely  designed  to  make  their  situation  as 
uncomfortable  as  possible,  and  thus  to  some  extent  sat- 
isfy its  spite. 

It  would  be  equally  difficult  to  teU  how  long  the  per- 
formance might  have  lasted.  Perhaps  for  hours  longer, 
—  since  the  supply  of  water  was  inexhaustible ;  but  it 
was  brought  to  a  conclusion  which  neither  the  great 
pachyderm  himself  foresaw,  nor  they  who  were  the 
subjects  of  his  aqueous  dispensation. 


104  THE   CLIFF-CLIMBEKS. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

SWALLOWED     WHOLESALE. 

Just  wMle  it  was  in  the  midst  of  its  performance, 
keeping  its  water-battery  in  full  play,  and  apparently 
with  malicious  enjoyment,  it  was  seen  all  at  once  to 
desist ;  and  then  its  huge  body  commenced  rocking  from 
side  to  side,  one  shoulder  now  upheaving,  then  the  other, 
while  the  long  trunk  was  swept  in  circles  through  the 
air,  at  the  same  time  emitting,  instead  of  water,  shi-ill 
sounds,  that  proclaimed  either  pam  or  terror. 

What  could  it  mean  ?  The  quadruped  was  evidently 
smitten  with  some  sudden  fear ;  but  who  and  what  was 
the  enemy  it  dreaded  ?  So,  mentally  inquired  Karl  and 
Caspar ;  but  before  either  had  time  to  shape  his  thought 
into  an  interrogative  speech,  the  shikaree  had  answered  it. 

"  He-ho  !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  Goot !  Vair  goot !  — 
praise  to  the  God  of  the  Great  Gangee !  See,  sahibs, 
the  rogue  he  go  down,  down,  —  he  siukee  in  de  quick- 
sand that  near  swalley  Ossaroo ;  he-ho ;  sinkee !  he 
siakee ! " 

Karl  and  Caspar  easily  comprehended  the  meaning  of 
Ossaroo's  broken  but  exultant  speeches.  Bending  their 
eyes  on  the  brute  below,  and  watching  its  movements, 
they  at  once  perceived  that  the  shikaree  had  spoken  the 
truth.  The  elephant  was  evidently  sinking  in  the  quick- 
sand ! 


SWALLOTITED    WHOLESALE.  105 

They  had  noticed  that  when  it  first  entered  the  bed 
of  the  stream,  the  water  had  not  reached  far  above  its 
knees.  Now  it  was  np  to  its  sides,  and  slowly  but 
gradually  rising  higher.  Its  violent  struggles,  moreover, 
—  the  partial  and  alternate  raising  of  its  shoulders,  its 
excited  shrieks,  —  and  the  proboscis,  rapidly  extended 
now  to  this  side,  now  to  that,  as  if  searching  to  grasp 
some  support,  —  all  proved  the  truth  of  Ossaroo's  asser- 
tion, —  the  rogue  was  sinking  in  the  quicksand.  And 
rapidly  was  the  creature  going  down.  Before  the  spec- 
tators had  been  watching  it  five  minutes,  the  water 
lapped  up  nearly  to  the  level  of  its  back,  and  then  inch 
by  inch,  and  foot  by  foot,  it  rose  higher,  until  the  round 
shoulders  were  submerged,  and  only  the  head  and  its 
long  trumpet-like  extension  appeared  above  the  surface. 

Soon  the  shoulders  ceased  to  play ;  and  the  vast  body 
exhibited  no  other  motion,  save  that  gentle  descent  by 
which  it  was  being  drawn  down  into  the  bowels  of  the 
earth ! 

The  trunk  still  kept  up  its  vibratory  movement,  now 
violently  beating  the  water  into  foam,  and  now  feebly 
oscillating,  all  the  while  breathing  forth  its  accents  of 
agony. 

At  length  the  upturned  head  and  smooth  protuberant 
jaws  sank  beneath  the  surface ;  and  only  the  proboscis 
appeared,  standing  erect  out  of  the  water  like  a  gigantic 
Bologna  sausage.  It  had  ceased  to  give  out  the  shrill 
trumpet  scream;  but  a  loud  breathing  could  still  be 
heard,  interrupted  at  intervals  by  a  gurgling  sound. 

Karl  and  Caspar  kept  their  seats  upon  the  tree,  look- 
ing down  upon  the  strange  scene  with  feeUngs  of  awe 
depicted  in  their  faces.     Not  so  the  shikaree,  who  was 

5  * 


106  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBEES. 

no  longer  aloft.  As  soon  as  he  had  seen  the  elephant 
fau'ly  locked  in  the  deadly  embrace  of  that  quicksand 
that  had  so  nearly  engulfed  his  own  precious  person,  he 
lowered  himself  nimbly  down  from  the  branches. 

For  some  moments  he  stood  upon  the  bank,  watching 
the  futUe  efforts  which  the  animal  was  making  to  free 
itself,  all  the  while  talking  to  it,  and  taunting  it  with 
spiteful  speeches,  —  for  Ossaroo  had  been  particularly 
indignant  at  the  loss  of  his  skirt.  When  at  length  the 
last  twelve  inches  of  "the  elephant's  trunk  was  all  that 
remained  above  the  surface,  the  shikaree  could  hold 
back  no  longer.  Drawing  his  long  knife,  he  rushed  out 
into  the  water;  and,  with  one  clean  cut,  severed  the 
muscular  mass  from  its  supporting  stem,  as  a  sickle 
would  have  levelled  some  soft  succulent  weed. 

The  parted  tube  sank  instantly  to  the  bottom ;  a  few 
red  bubbles  rose  to  the  surface  ;  and  these  were  the  last 
tokens  that  proclaimed  the  exit  of  that  great  elephant 
from  the  surface  of  the  earth.  It  had  gone  down  into 
the  deep  sands,  there  to  become  fossilLzed,  —  perhaps 
after  the  lapse  of  many  ages  to  be  turned  up  again  by 
the  spade  and  pickaxe  of  some  wondering  quarryman. 

Thus  by  a  singular  accident  were  our  adventurers 
disembarrassed  of  a  disagreeable  neighbor,  —  or  rather, 
a  dangerous  enemy,  —  so  dangerous,  indeed,  that  had 
not  some  chance  of  the  kind  turned  up  in  their  favor,  it 
is  difficult  to  conjecture  how  they  would  have  got  rid 
of  it.  It  was  no  longer  a  question  of  pouring  bullets 
into  its  body,  and  killing  it  in  that  way.  The  spilling 
of  their  powder  had  spoiled  that  project ;  and  the  three 
charges  that  still  remained  to  them  might  not  have  been 
sufficient  with  guns  of  so  small  a  calibre  as  theirs. 


It  had  gone  down  into  the  deep  sands,  there  to  become  fossilized. 


P.  106. 


SWALLOWED    WHOLESALE.  107 

No  doubt  in  time  such  gallant  hunters  as  Caspar  and 
Ossaroo,  and  so  ingenious  a  contriver  as  Karl,  would 
have  devised  some  way  to  circumvent  the  rogue,  and 
make  an  end  of  him ;  but  for  all  that  they  were  very 
well  pleased  at  the  strange  circumstance  that  had  re- 
lieved them  of  the  necessity,  and  they  congratulated 
themselves  on  such  a  fortunate  result. 

On  hearing  them  talking  together,  and  perceiving  that 
they  were  no  longer  in  the  tree,  Fritz,  who  had  all  this 
while  been  skulking  only  a  few  paces  from  the  spot, 
now  emerged  from  his  hiding-place,  and  came  running 
up.  Little  did  Fritz  suspect,  while  swimming  across 
the  straits  to  rejoin  his  masters,  that  the  huge  quad- 
ruped which  had  so  frequently  given  him  chase  was  at 
that  moment  so  very  near  him  ;  and  that  his  own  claws, 
while  cutting  the  water,  came  within  an  inch  of  scratch- 
ing that  terrible  trunk,  now  truncated  to  a  frustnim  of 
its  former  self! 

But  although  Fritz  had  no  knowledge  of  the  strange 
incident  that  had  occurred  during  his  absence,  —  and 
may  have  been  wondering  in  what  direction  the  enemy 
had  gone  off,  —  while  swimming  across  the  straits,  the 
red  color  of  the  water  at  a  particular  place,  or  more 
likely  the  scent  of  blood  upon  it,  admonished  liim  that 
some  sanguinary  scene  had  transpired ;  and  drew  from 
him  a  series  of  excited  yelps  as  he  buoyantly  breasted 
the  wave. 

Fritz  came  in  for  a  share  of  the  congratulations.  Al- 
though the  faithful  creature  had  retreated  on  each  occa- 
sion of  his  being  attacked,  no  one  thought  of  casting  a 
slur  upon  his  canine  courage.  He  had  only  exhibited  a 
wise  discretion  :  for  what  chance  would  he  have  stood 


108  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

against  sucli  a  formidable  adversary  ?  He  had  done 
better,  therefore,  by  taking  to  his  heels ;  for  had  he 
foolishly  stood  his  ground,  and  got  killed  in  the  first 
encounter  by  the  obelisk,  the  elephant  might  still  have 
been  alive,  and  besieging  them  in  the  tree.  Besides,  it 
was  Fritz  who  had  sounded  the  first  note  of  warning, 
and  thus  given  time  to  prepare  for  the  reception  of  the 
assailant. 

All  of  the  party  regarded  Fritz  as  worthy  of  reward  ; 
and  Ossaroo  had  made  up  his  mind  that  he  should  have 
itj  in  the  shape  of  a  dinner  uj)on  elephant's  trunk.  But 
in  wading  back  into  the  stream,  the  shikaree  perceived 
to  his  chagrin  that  the  brave  dog  must  be  disappointed : 
since  the  piece  which  he  had  so  skilfully  lopped  off,  had 
followed  the  fortunes  of  the  part  from  which  it  had 
been  severed,  and  was  now  far  below  the  surface  of  the 
sand ! 

Ossaroo  made  no  attempt  to  dig  it  up  again.  He  had 
a  wholesome  dread  of  that  treacherous  footing ;  and 
treading  it  gingerly,  he  lost  no  time  in  returning  to  the 
bank,  and  following  the  sahibs,  —  who  had  already  taken 
their  departure  from  the  water's  edge,  and  were  pro- 
ceeding in  the  direction  of  the  ruined  hut. 


THE   DEODAR. 


109 


CHAPTER   XXV. 


THE    DEODAR. 


The  idea  that  had  odCurred  to  them  —  of  making  the 
cave  their  home  —  was  no  longer  deemed  worthy  of  be- 
ing entertained.  The  dangerous  proximity  of  the  ele- 
phant had  alone  suggested  it ;  and  this  no  longer  existed. 
It  was  not  likely  that  there  was  another  rogue  in  the 
valley.  Indeed,  Ossaroo  was  able  to  set  their  minds  at 
rest  on  this  point,  —  assuring  them  that  two  animals  of 
the  kind  are  never  found  occupying  the  same  district : 
since  two  creatures  of  such  malignant  dispositions  would 
certainly  enact  the  tragedy  of  the  Kilkenny  cats,  — 
though  Ossaroo  did  not  illustrate  his  meaning  by  quot- 
ing this  celebrated  expression. 

Possibly  there  might  be  other  animals  in  the  neigh- 
borhood as  much  to  be  dreaded  as  the  elephant  had  been. 
There  might  be  panthers,  or  leopards,  or  tigers,  or  even 
another  bear ;  but  against  any  of  these  the  cave  would 
be  no  safe  asylum,  —  not  safer  than  their  old  hut.  They 
could  reconstruct  it  more  strongly  than  ever  ;  and  put  a 
stout  door  upon  it  to  keep  out  any  midnight  intruder ; 
and  to  this  work  did  they  apply  themselves  as  soon  as 
they  had  eaten  dinner,  and  dried  their  garments,  —  so 
thoroughly  saturated  by  the  colossal  syringe  of  the  de- 
funct elephant. 

Several  days  were  spent  in  restoring  the  hovel,  —  this 


110  THE    CLIFF-CLmBERS. 

time  with  considerable  improvements.  The  winter 
weather  had  now  fairly  set  in ;  and  household  warmth 
had  become  an  important  object :  so  that  not  only  did 
they  fill  up  the  chinks  with  a  thick  coating  of  clay,  but 
a  fireplace  and  chimney  were  constructed,  and  a  strong 
door  was  added. 

They  knew  that  it  would  take  them  a  long  time  to  make 
the  ladders,  —  more  than  a  dozen  long  ladders,  —  each  of 
which  must  be  light  as  a  reed  alid  straight  as  an  arrow. 

During  the  milder  days  of  winter  they  might  work 
in  the  open  air ;  indeed,  the  greater  part  of  their  work 
they  must  needs  do  outside  the  hut.  Still  it  would  be 
necessary  to  have  shelter,  not  only  during  the  nights,  but 
in  times  of  storm  and  severe  weather. 

Prudence,  therefore,  counselled  them  to  providence ; 
and  before  proceeding  further  with  their  design  of  scal- 
ing the  cliff,  they  made  all  snug  within  doors. 

They  hac^  no  fear  of  suffering  from  the  winter's  cold, 
—  either  for  want  of  clothing  by  day  or  covering  by 
night.  Some  of  the  yak  skins  were  still  in  good  preser- 
vation,—  with  the  pelts  of  several  other  animals  that 
had  fallen  before  the  double-barrel  of  Caspar,  —  and 
these  would  suffice  for  warm  clothing  by  day  and  bed- 
covering  by  night. 

About  their  winter's  food  they  were  a  little  more 
anxious.  The  elephant  had  succeeded  not  only  in  de- 
stroying their  means  of  obtaining  provisions,  but  had 
also  damaged  the  stock  which  was  on  hand,  by  trampling 
it  in  the  mud.  Those  portions  of  the  dried  venison  and 
yak-beef  that  the  brute  had  not  succeeded  in  completely 
spoiling  were  once  more  collected,  and  stored  in  a  safe 
place ;  while  it  was  resolved,  in  the  event  of  their  not 


THE    DEODAR.  Ill 

being  able  to  procure  more,  that  they  should  go  on  ra- 
tions proportioned  to  the  time  which  they  migTit  have  to 
continue  in  their  rock-bound  prison.  Of  course,  though 
their  ammunition  was  exhausted,  they  were  riot  without 
hopes  of  being  able  to  add  to  their  store  of  provisions. 
The  arrows  of  Ossaroo  still  existed,  independent  of 
either  powder  or  lead.  Snares  and  traps  would  enable 
them  to  capture  many  of  the  wUd  creatures  that,  like 
themselves,  appeared  to  have  found  a  prison  in  that  se- 
cluded and  singular  valley. 

When  all  the  arrangements  regarding  their  winter 
residence  were  completed,  they  returned  once  more  to 
the  survey  of  the  cliifs,  which  had  been  interrupted  by 
the  elephant. 

After  a  prolonged  examination  of  the  ledges,  that  had 
been  discovered  on  that  eventful  day,  they  continued  on 
until  they  had  made  the  circuit  of  the  valley.  Not  a 
foot  of  the  precipice  was  passed  without  the  most  elabo- 
rate inspection  being  bestowed  upon  it ;  and  of  course 
the  twm  cliffs  wliich  hemmed  in  the  gorge  of  the  glacier 
were  examined  with  the  rest. 

There  proved  to  be  no  place  offering  such  advantages 
for  an  ascent  by  ladders  as  that  already  discovered  ;  and 
although  there  was  no  positive  certainty  that  they  might 
be  able  to  accomplish  their  formidable  task,  they  de- 
termined to  make  a  trial,  and  without  further  delay  set 
about  preparing  the  ladders. 

The  prelimmary  step  was  to  select  and  cut  down  a 
.sufficient  quantity  of  timber  of  the  right  length.  They 
were  about  to  have  recourse  to  the  beautiful  Tliibet  pine, 
. —  the  sort  which  had  served  them  for  bridging  the 
crevasse,  —  when  a  new  tree  was  discovered  by  them, 


112  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

equally  beautiful,  and  more  suitable  for  tbeir  purpose. 
It  was  the  cedar  (pinus  deodara).  Ossaroo  once  more 
lamented  the  absence  of  his  beloved  bamboos,  —  alleg- 
ing that  with  a  sufficient  number  of  these  he  could  have 
made  ladders  enough  for  scaling  the  cliff,  in  less  than  a 
quarter  of  the  time  it  would  take  to  construct  them  out 
of  the  pines.  This  was  no  exaggeration :  for  the  culm 
of  the  great  bamboo,  just  as  it  is  cut  out  of  the  brake, 
serves  for  the  side  of  a  ladder,  without  any  pains  taken 
with  it,  further  than  to  notch  out  the  holes  in  which  to 
insert  the  rounds.  Moreover,  the  bamboo  being  light, 
would  have  served  better  than  any  other  timber  for  such 
ladders  as  they  required,  —  enabling  them  with  less 
trouble  to  get  them  hoisted  up  to  the  ledges,  —  an 
operation  in  which  they  apprehended  no  little  difjBculty. 
But  although  there  was  a  species  of  cane  growing  in  the 
valley,  —  that  known  to  the  hill  people  as  the  "  ringall," 
—  its  culms  were  neither  of  sufficient  length  nor  thick- 
ness for  their  purpose.  It  was  the  great  bamboo  of-  the 
tropical  jungles  that  Ossaroo  sighed  for ;  and  which  on 
their  way  up  through  the  lower  ranges  of  the  Himalayas 
they  had  seen  growing  in  vast  brakes,  its  tall  stems  often 
rising  to  the  height  of  a  hundred  feet. 

The  deodar,  under  favorable  circumstances,  attains  to 
vast  dimensions,  trunks  being  often  met  with  in  the 
mountains  upwards  of  ten  feet  in  diameter,  and  ns'mg 
to  the  height  of  one  hundred  feet.  A  few  sticks  of  this 
description  would  have  made  their  labor  both  short  and 
easy. 

Failing  the  bamboo,  therefore,  they  selected  the  sec- 
ond best  material  which  the  forest  affijrded  them, — 
the  tall  "deodar."     This   tree,  which  is  known  to  the 


THE    DEODAR.  113 

Anglo-Indian  residents  of  the  Himalayan  countries  as 
the  "  cedar,"  has  long  since  been  introduced  into  Eng- 
lish parks  and  arboretums,  under  the  name  of  deodara, 
—  its  specific  botanical  appellation.  It  is  a  true  pine, 
and  is  found  in  most  of  the  hills  and  valleys  of  the 
Himalayan  chain,  growing  at  almost  any  elevation  and 
on  any  kind  of  ground,  —  in  the  low  warm  valleys  as 
well  as  near  the  line  of  everlasting  snow.  Its  favorite 
habitat,  however,  is  on  the  lower  hills,  and  though  by 
no  means  a  beautiful  tree,  it  is  valuable  on  account  of 
the  great  quantity  of  tar  which  can  be  extracted  from 
its  sap. 

Where  many  deodar  trees  are  growing  together,  they 
shoot  up  in  long  tapering  shafts,  with  short  branches, 
and  present  the  acute  conical  form  characteristic  of 
the  pines.  When  individual  trees  stand  singly,  or  at 
some  considerable  distance  apart,  their  habit  is  different. 
They  then  stretch  out  long  massive  arms  in  a  horizontal 
direction;  and  as  the  separate  twigs  and  leaves  also 
extend  horizontally,  each  branch  thus  presents  a  surface 
as  level  as  a  table.  The  deodar  often  reaches  the  height 
of  one  hundred  feet. 

The  wood  of  the  deodar  is  everywhere  esteemed 
throughout  the  countries  where  it  is  found.  It  is  excel- 
lent for  building  purposes,  easily  worked,  almost  im- 
perishable, and  can  be  readily  split  into  planks,  —  an 
indispensable  requisite  in  a  country  where  saws  are 
almost  unknown.  In  Cashmere,  bridges  are  built  of  it : 
and  the  long  time  that  some  of  these  have  been  stand- 
ing affords  a  proof  of  its  great  durability.  A  portion 
of  these  bridges  are  under  water  for  more  than  half 
the  year ;  and  although  there  are  some  of  them  nearly 


114  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBEKS. 

a  hundred  years  old,  they  are  still  in  good  preservation, 
and  safe  enough  to  be  crossed. 

When  the  deodar  is  subjected  to  the  process  by  which 
tar  is  extracted  from  other  pines,  it  yields  a  much  thin- 
ner liquid  than  tar,  —  of  a  dark-red  color,,  and  very 
pungent  smell.  This  liquid  is  known  as  "  cedar  oil "  ; 
and  is  used  by  the  hQl  people  as  a  remedy  for  skin 
diseases,  —  as  also  for  all  scrofulous  complaints  in  cattle. 

The  deodar  is  of  very  slow  growth ;  and  this  unfits 
it  for  being  introduced  into  European  countries,  —  ex- 
cept as  an  ornamental  timber  for  parks  and  pleasure- 
grounds. 

It  was  chiefly  on  account  of  its  property  of  being 
easily  split  into  planks,  or  j^ieces  of  light  scantling,  that 
the  deodar  was  selected  for  making  the  sides  of  the  lad- 
ders. To  have  cut  down  the  trunks  of  heavy  trees  to 
the  proper  thickness  for  light  ladders,  —  with  such  im- 
perfect implements  as  they  were  possessed  of,  —  would 
have  been  an  interminable  work  for  our  inexperienced 
carpenters.  The  little  axe  of  Ossaroo  and  the  knives 
were  the  only  tools  they  possessed  available  for  the 
work.  As  the  deodar  could  be  spUt  with  wedges,  it 
was  just  the  timber  wanted  under  these  circumstances. 

While  engaged  in  "prospecting"  among  the  deodar 
trees,  a  pine  of  another  species  came  imder  the  obser- 
vation of  our  adventurers.  It  was  that  known  as  the 
"  cheel." 

It  might  have  been  seen  by  them  without  attracting 
any  particular  notice,  but  for  Karl ;  who,  upon  exam- 
ining its  leaves,  and  submitting  them  to  a  botanical  test, 
discovered  that  within  the  body  of  the  "cheel"  there 
existed  qualities  that,  in  the  circumstances  in  which  they 


THE    DEODAR.  115 

were  placed,  would  be  of  great  value  to  them.  Karl 
knew  that  the  "  cheel "  was  one  of  those  pines,  the  wood 
of  which,  being  full  of  turpentine,  make  most  excellent 
torches ;  an^  he  had  read,"  that  for  this  very  purpose  it  is 
used  by  all  classes  of  people  who  dwell  among  the  Him- 
alaya mountains,  and  who  find  in  these  torches  a  very 
capital  substitute  for  candles  or  lamps.  Karl  could  also 
have  told  his  companions,  that  the  turpentine  itself — 
which  oozes  out  of  the  living  tree  —  is  used  by  the  peo- 
ple as  an  ointment  for  sores,  and  that  for  chapped  hands 
it  is  a  speedy  and  effectual  cure.  The  "  cheel "  pine 
is  nearly  always  found  side  by  side  with  the  deodar, — 
especially  where  the  latter  forms  the  cliief  growth  of  the 
forest. 

Karl  could  also  have  informed  them  that  the  deodar 
and  the  cheel  are  not  the  only  pifies  indigenous  to  the 
Himalayas.  He  could  have  mentioned  several  other 
species,  as  the  "morenda,"  a  large  and  handsome  tree, 
with  very  dark  foliage,  and  one  of  the  tallest  of  the 
coniferce,  —  often  rising  to  the  stupendous  height  of  two 
hundi'ed  feet ;  the  "  rye "  pine,  of  almost  equal  height 
with  the  morenda,  and  perhaps  even  more  ornamental ; 
and  the  "  Kolin,"  or  common  pine,  which  forms  exten- 
sive forests,  upon  the  ridges  that  rise  from  six  to  nine 
thousand  feet  above  sea-level.  The  last  thrives  best  in 
a  dry,  rocky  soil ;  and  it  is  surprisiag  in  what  places 
it  will  take  root  and  grow.  In  the  perpendicular  face 
of  a  smooth  granite  rock,  large  trees  of  this  species  may 
be  seen.  In  the  rock  there  exists  a  little  qj-evice.  Into 
this  a  seed  in  some  manner  finds  its  way,  vegetates,  and 
in  time  becomes  a  great  tree,  —  flourishing,  perhaps,  for 
centuries,  where,  to  all  appearance,  there  is  not  a  particle 


116  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

of  soil  to  nourish  it,  and  probably  deriving  sustenance 
from  the  rock  itself! 

It  was  with  no  slight  gratification  that  Karl  beheld 
the  "  cheel "  growing  so  near.  He  knew  that  from  it 
they  would  obtain  brilliant  torches,  —  as  many  as  they 
might  stand  in  need  of;  so  that  during  the  dark  nights, 
instead  of  sitting  idle  for  the  want  of  light,  they  could 
occupy  themselves  till  a  late  hour  within  the  hovel,  in 
making  the  "  rounds "  of  the  ladders,  and  domg  such 
other  little  "  chores  "  as  the  occasion  might  require. 


THE   SCALING    LADDERS.  117 


CHAPTER    XXVI. 

THE    SCALING    LADDERS. 

The  cutting  down  of  the  trees  did  not  occupy  them 
a  very  long  time.  They  chose  only  those  of  slender 
girth,  —  the  more  slender  the  better,  so  long  as  they 
answered  the  requirements  as  to  length.  Trees  of  about 
fifty  feet  in  total  height  were  the  best:  as  these,  when 
the  weaker  part  of  the  tops  was  cut  off,  yielded  lengths 
of  thirty  or  more  feet.  Where  they  were  only  a  few 
inches  in  diameter,  there  was  very  little  trouble  in  re- 
ducing them  to  the  proper  size  for  the  sides  of  the 
ladders,  —  only  to  strip  off  the  bark  and  split  them  in 
twain. 

Making  the  rounds  was  also  an  easy  operation, — 
except  that  it  required  considerable  time,  as  there  were 
so  many  of  them. 

The  most  difficult  part  of  the  work  —  and  this  they 
had  foreseen  —  would  be  the  drilling  of  the  holes  to 
receive  the  rounds  ;  and  it  w^as  the  task  which  proved  the 
most  dilatoi-y,  —  taking  up  more  time  in  its  accomplish- 
ment than  both  the  cutting  of  the  timber  and  reducing 
it  to  its  proper  shapes  and  dimensions. 

Had  they  owned  an  auger  or  a  mortising  chisel,  or 
even  a  good  gimlet,  the  thing  would  have  been  easy 
enough.  Easier  still  had  they  possessed  a  "  breast  bit." 
But  of  course  not  any  of  these  tools  could  be  obtained ; 


118  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

nor  any  other  by  wliich  a  hole  might  be  bored  big 
enough  to  have  admitted  the  points  of  their  little  fingers. 
Hundreds  of  holes  would  be  needed ;  and  how  were  they 
to  be  made?  With  the  blades  of  their  small  knives 
it  would  have  been  possible  to  scoop  out  a  cavity, — 
that  is,  with  much  trouble  and  waste  of  time  ;  but  vast 
time  and  trouble  would  it  take  to  scoop  out  four  hun- 
dred ;  and  at  least  that  number  would  be  needed.  It 
would  be  a  tedious  task,  and  almost  interminable,  even 
supposing  that  it  could  be  accomplished ;  but  this  was 
doubtful  enough.  The  blades  of  the  knives  might  be 
worn  or  broken,  long  before  the  necessary  number  of 
holes  could  be  made. 

Of  course,  had  they  been  possessed  of  a  sufficient 
number  of  nails,  they  might  have  done  without  holes. 
The  steps  of  the  ladders  could  have  been  nailed  upon  the 
sides,  instead  of  being  mortised  into  them.  But  nails 
were  a  commodity  quite  as  scarce  with  them  as  tools. 
With  the  exception  of  those  in  the  soles  of  their  shoes, 
or  the  stocks  of  their  guns,  there  was  not  a  nail  in  the 
valley. 

It  is  not  to  be  denied  that  they  were  in  a  dilemma. 
But  Karl  had  foreseen  this  difficulty,  and  provided 
against  it  before  a  stick  of  timber  had  been  cut.  In- 
deed, close  following  on  the  first  conception  of  the  scal- 
ing ladders,  this  matter  had  passed  through  his  mind, 
and  had  been  settled  to  his  satisfaction.  Only  theoret- 
ically, it  is  true ;  but  his  theory  was  afterwards  reduced 
to  practice,  —  and,  unlike  many  other  theories,  the  prac- 
tice proved  in  corresjiondence  with  it. 

Karl's  theory  was  to  make  the  holes  by  fire,  —  in 
other  words,  to  bore  them  with  a  red-hot  iron. 


THE    SCALING    LADDERS.  119 

Where  was  this  iron  to  be  obtained  ?  That  appeared 
to  offer  a  difficulty,  as  great  as  the  absence  of  an  auger 
or  a  mortise-chisel.  But  by  Karl's  ingenuity  it  was  also 
got  over.  He  chanced  to  have  a  small  pocket  pistol :  it 
was  single-barrelled,  the  barrel  being  about  six  inches  in 
length,  without  any  thimbles,  beading,  or  ramrod  at- 
tached to  it.  What  Karl  intended  to  do,  then,  was  to 
heat  this  barrel  red-hot,  and  make  a  boring-iron  of  it. 
And  tliis  was  exactly  what  he  did  do ;  and  after  heating 
it  some  hundreds  of  times,  and  applying  it  as  often  to 
the  sides  of  the  different  ladders,  he  at  last  succeeded  in 
burning  out  as  many  holes  as  there  were  rounds  to  go 
into  them,  multiplied  exactly  by  two. 

It  is  needless  to  say  that  this  wonderful  boi'ing  opera- 
tion was  not  accomplished  at  a  single  "  spell,"  nor  yet 
in  a  single  day.  On  the  contrary,  it  took  Karl  many 
an  hour  and  many  a  day,  and  cost  him  many  a  wet  skin 

—  by  perspiration,  I  mean  —  before  he  had  completed 
the  boring  of  those  four  hundred  holes.  Numerous 
were  the  tears  drawn  from  the  eyes  of  the  plant-hunter, 

—  not  by  grief,  but  by  the  smoke  of  the  seething  cedar 
wood. 

When  Karl  had  finished  the  peculiar  task  he  had  thus 
assigned  to  himself,  but  little  more  remained  to  be  done, 

—  only  to  set  each  pair  of  sides  together,  stick  in  the 
rounds,  bind  fast  at  each  end,  and  there  was  a  ladder 
finished  and  ready  to  be  scaled. 

One  by  one  they  were  thus  turned  off;  and  one  by 
one  carried  to  the  foot  of  the  cliff,  up  wliich  the  ascent 
was  to  be  attempted. 

Sad  are  we  to  say  that  it  was  still  only  an  attempt ; 
and  sadder  yet,  that  that  attempt  proved  a  failure. 


120  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

One  by  one  were  the  ladders  raised  to  their  respective 
ledges,  —  until  three  fourths  of  the  cliff  had  been  suc- 
cessfully scaled.  Here,  alas  !  was  their  climbing  brought 
to  a  conclusion,  by  a  circumstance  up  to  this  time  unfore- 
seen. On  reaching  one  of  the  ledges,  —  the  fourth  from 
the  top  of  the  cliff,  —  they  found,  to  their  chagrin,  that 
the  rock  above  it,  instead  of  receding  a  little,  as  with  all 
the  others,  hung  over,  —  projecting  several  inches  beyond 
the  outer  line  of  the  ledge.  Against  that  rock  no  ladder 
could  have  been  set ;  none  would  have  rested  there,  — 
since  it  could  not  be  placed  even  perpendicularly.  There 
was  no  attempt  made  to  take  one  up.  Though  the  pro- 
jection could  not  be  discerned  from  below,  Karl,  standing 
on  the  topmost  round  of  the  last  ladder  that  had  been 
planted,  saw  at  once,  with  the  eye  of  an  engineer,  that 
the  difficulty  was  insurmountable.  It  would  be  as  easy 
for  them  to  fly,  as  to  stand  a  ladder  upon  that  ill-starred 
ledge  ;  and  with  this  conviction  fully  impressed  upon  his 
mind,  the  young  plant-hunter  returned  slowly  and  sor- 
rowfully to  the  ground  to  communicate  the  disagreeable 
intelligence  to  his  companions. 

It  was  no  use  for  either  CasjDar  or  Ossaroo  to  go  up 
again.  They  had  been  on  the  ledge  already ;  and  had 
arrived  at  the  same  conviction.  Karl's  report  was  final 
and  conclusive. 

All  their  ingenuity  defeated,  —  all  their  toil  gone  for 
notliing,  —  their  time  wasted,  —  their  hopes  blighted,  — 
the  bright  sky  of  their  future  once  more  obscured  with 
darkest  clouds,  —  all  through  that  unforeseen  circum- 
stance. 

Just  as  when  they  returned  out  of  the  cavern,  —  after 
that    patient    but  fruitless  search,  —  just  as   then,  sat 


THE    SCALING    LADDERS.  121 

they  down  upon  the  rocks,  —  each  staggering  to  that 
which  was  nearest  him,  —  sad,  dispirited,  forlorn. 

There  sat  they,  with  eyes  now  fixed  upon  the  ground, 
now  turning  towards  the  cliff  and  gazing  mechanically 
upon  that  serried  Hne,  like  the  stairway  of  some  gigantic 
spider,  —  those  long  ladders,  planted  with  so  much  pains, 
climbed  only  once,  and  never  to  be  climbed  again ! 


122  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

AN    EMPTY    LARDER. 

Long  sat  they  in  this  attitude,  all  three,  observing  a 
profound  silence.  The  air  was  keenly  cold,  for  it  was 
now  mid-winter ;  but  none  of  them  seemed  to  feel  the 
cold.  The  deep  disappointment,  the  bitter  chagrin  that 
filled  their  minds,  hindered  them  from  perceiving  bodily 
pain ;  and  at  that  moment  had  an  avalanche  threatened 
to  slide  down  upon  them  from  the  snowy  siunmit  above, 
not  one  of  the  three  would  have  much  cared  to  escape 
out  of  its  way.  &, 

So  tired  had  they  become  of  their  aerial  prison,  —  so 
terrified  by  the  prospect  of  its  continuing  forever,  —  or 
at  least,  as  long  as  they  might  live,  —  they  could  have 
contemplated  even  death  without  additional  terror. 

The  straw,  to  which  they  had  so  long  and  so  fondly 
clung,  was  snatched  from  their  grasp.  Again  were  tjiey 
drowning. 

For  nearly  an  hour  sat  they  thus,  moody  and  despond- 
ing. The  purjjle-colored  tiuts,  that  began  to  play  over 
the  surface  of  the  eternal  snows  above,  admonished 
them  that  the  sun  was  far  down  in  the  heavens,  and  that 
night  was  approacliing. 

Karl  was  the  first  to  become  conscious  of  this,  —  the 
first  to  break  silence. 

"  0  brothers ! "  said  he,  under  the  impress  of   their 


AN    EMPTY   LARDER.  123 

common  misfortune  including  Ossaroo  in  the  fraternal 
appellation.  "  Come  away  !  It  is  useless  to  stay  longer 
here.     Let  us  go  home ! " 

"  Home  !  "  repeated  Caspar,  with  a  melancholy  smile. 
"  Ah !  Karl,  I  wish  you  had  not  spoken  the  word.  So 
sweet  at  other  times,  it  now  rings  in  my  ears  like  some 
unearthly  echo.  Home,  indeed  !  Alas,  dear  brother  ! 
we  shall  ne'er  go  home." 

To  this  pathetic  speech  Karl  made  no  reply.  He 
could  offer  no  word  of  hope  or  consolation  ;  and  there- 
fore remained  silent.  He  had  already  risen  to  his  feet, 
—  the  others  following  his  example,  —  and  all  three 
walked  moodily  away  from  the  spot,  taking  the  most 
direct  route  towards  their  rude  dwelling,  wliich  now 
more  than  ever  they  had  reason  to  regard  as  their  home. 

On  reaching  the  hut  they  found  still  another  cause  of 
inquietude.  Their  stock  of  provisions,  which  had  sur- 
vived the  destructive  onset  of  the  elephant,  had  been 
economized  with  great  care.  But  as  they  had  been  too 
busy  in  making  the  ladders  to  waste  time  on  any  other 
species  of  industry,  nothing  had  been  added  to  the  lar- 
der, —  neither  fish,  flesh,  nor  fowl.  On  the  contrary,  it 
had  dwindled  down,  until  upon  that  day  when  they 
issued  forth  to  try  their  ladders  against  the  cliff,  they 
had  left  behind  them  only  a  single  piece  of  dried  yak 
beef,  —  about  enough  to  have  furnished  them  with  a 
single  meal. 

Hungry  after  the  day's  fruitless  exertion,  they  were 
contemplating  a  supper  upon  it,  and  not  without  some 
degree  of  pleasant  anticipation :  for  nature  imder  all 
circumstances  will  assert  her  rights,  and  the  cravings  of 
appetite  are  not  to  be  stifled  even  by  the  most  anguished 
suffering  of  the  spirit. 


124  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

As  they  drew  nearer  to  the  hut,  but  more  especially 
when  they  came  in  sight  of  it,  and  perceived  its  rude  but 
hospitable  doorway  open  to  receive  them,  —  as  from  the 
chill  atmosphere  through  which  they  were  passing  they 
beheld  its  sheltering  roof  of  thatch,  and  thought  of  its 
snug,  cosey  interior,  —  as,  keenly  experiencing  the  pangs 
both  of  cold  and  hunger,  they  beheld  in  fancy  a  bright 
fagot  fire  crackling  upon  the  hearth,  and  heard  the  yak 
beef  hissing  and  sputtering  in  the  blaze,  their  spirits  be- 
gan to  return  to  their  natural  condition  ;  and  if  not  actual 
joy,  something  that  very  much  resembled  cheerfulness 
might  have  been  observed  in  the  demeanor  of  all. 

It  is  ever  thus  with  the  mind  of  man,  and  perhaps  for- 
tunate that  it  is  so.  The  human  soul  finds  its  type  in 
the  sky,  —  cloud  and  sunshine,  sunshine  and  cloud. 

With  our  adventurers  the  dark  cloud  had  for  the 
moment  passed ;  and  a  gleam  of  light  was  once  more 
shining  upon  their  hearts. 

It  was  not  destined  to  shine  long.  A  light  had  been 
struck,  and  a  fire  kindled  that  soon  blazed  brightly. 
So  far  one  desire  had  been  satisfied.  They  could  warm 
themselves.  But  when  they  came  to  think  of  gratifying 
an  appetite  of  a  far  more  craving  character,  —  when  they 
essayed  to  search  for  that  piece  of  yak  flesh  that  was  to 
furnish  forth  their  supper  —  they  found  it  not. 

During  their  absence,  the  burglar  had  also  been 
abroad.  Their  larder  had  been  assailed.  The  hung 
beef  was  hanging   there  no  longer. 

Some  wild  animal,  —  wolf,  panther,  or  other  preda- 
tory creature, — had  entered  by  the  open  doorway, — ■ 
left  open  in  the  excitement  of  that  hopeful  departure.  — ■ 
found  open  upon  their  ret'irn,  —  but,  like  the  door  of 


AN    EMPTY    LARDER,  125 

that  oft-quoted  stable,  not  worth  shutting,  since  the  steed 
had  been  stolen. 

Not  a  morsel,  not  a  mouthful  remained,  —  either  of 
yak  beef  or  food  of  any  other  kind,  —  and  all  three, 
Fritz  making  the  fourth,  had  to  go  supperless  to  sleep. 


126  THE   CLIFF-CLIMBEES. 


CHAPTER    XXVIII. 

GOING     ABROAD     FOR     BREAKFAST. 

The  exertions  which  they  had  made  in  carrying  and 
erecting  the  ladders  had  so  wearied  them,  that,  despite 
their  empty  stomachs,  all  three  were  able  to  sleep. 
Their  slumber,  however,  was  neither  profound  nor  pro- 
longed ;  and  one  and  another  of  them  awoke  at  intervals 
during  the  night  and  lay  awake,  reflecting  upon  the 
miserable  fate  that  had  befallen  them,  and  the  poor  pros- 
pects now  before  them. 

They  were  even  without  the  ordinary  consolation  of 
knowing  that  they  might  find  something  to  eat  in  the 
morning.  Before  they  could  have  any  breakfast,  they 
knew  they  would  first  have  to  find  it  in  the  forest. 
They  would  have  to  search,  find,  and  kill,  before  they 
could  eat. 

But  they  had  reason  now  not  only  to  be  in  doubt 
about  procuring  their  breakfast,  but  their  dinner  and 
supper,  —  in  short,  their  whole  future  subsistence.  Cir- 
cumstances had  become  changed.  The  larder,  hitherto 
amply  provided  by  Caspar's  hunting  skill,  was  now  quite 
empty;  and  although  he  could  soon  have  replenished  it 
had  their  ammunition  not  been  destroyed,  it  was  now 
quite  a  different  thing.  Caspar's  power  was  gone  along 
with  his  powder ;  and  the  deer  and  other  quadrupeds, 
which  were  known  to  be  yet  numerous  m  the  valley,  — • 


GOING  ABROAD  FOR  BREAKFAST.       127 

to  say  notliing  of  the  winged  creatures  that  frequented 
it,  —  could  now  smile  at  any  attempt  on  the  part  of  Cas- 
par to  trouble  them  any  longer  with  his  double-barrelled 
detonator.  The  gun  would  hereafter  be  as  useless  as  a 
bar  of  iron. 

Only  one  charge  of  powder  for  each  barrel  remained, 
and  one  more  for  Karl's  rifle.  When  these  three  should 
be  fired  off,  not  another  shot  might  ever  again  be  heard 
ringing  through  that  sUent  valley,  and  waking  the 
echoes  of  the  surrounding  cliffs. 

But  it  had  not  yet  entered  their  minds  that  they  might 
be  unable  to  kill  any  of  the  wild  animals  with  which 
the  place  abounded.  Had  they  thought  so,  they  would 
have  been  unhappy  indeed,  —  perhaps  so  anxious  as  not 
to  have  slept  another  wink  for  that  night.  But  they  did 
not  yet  contemplate  the  future  so  despondingly.  They 
hoped  that,  even  without  their  guns,  they  would  still  be 
enabled  to  procure  sufficient  game  for  their  support ;  and 
as  they  all  lay  awake,  just  before  the  breaking  of  the 
day,  tills  became  the  subject  of  their  conversation. 

Ossaroo  still  felt  fall  confidence  in  his  bow  and  arrows  ; 
and  should  these  fail,  there  was  his  fishing-net ;  and  if 
that  also  were  to  draw  blank,  the  experienced  shikaree 
knew  a  score  of  other  schemes  for  circumventing  the 
beasts  of  the  earth,  the  birds  of  the  air,  and  the  finny 
denizens  of  the  water.  Karl  expressed  his  determina- 
tion, as  soon  as  spring  should  return,  to  commence  culti- 
vating certain  edible  roots  and  plants,  which  grew  rather 
sparsely  around,  but,  by  the  careful  propagation  of  which, 
a  crop  might  be  procured  of  sufficient  abundance.  More- 
over, they  resolved  that  in  the  following  year  they 
should  store  up  such  wild  fruits  and    berries  as  were 


128  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

fit  for  food ;  and  thus  insure  -themselves  against  any 
chance  of  famine  for  months  to  come.  The  failure  of 
their  late  attempt  with  the  ladders  had  reproduced  within 
them  the  firm  though  fearful  conviction,  that  for  the  rest 
of  their  lives  they  were  destined  to  dwell  within  the 
mountain  valley,  —  never  more  to  go  beyond  the  bounds 
of  that  stupendous  prison-like  wall  that  encircled  them. 

With  this  impression  now  freshly  stamped  upon  their 
minds,  they  returned  to  speculate  on  the  means  of  pres- 
ent existence,  as  also  on  that  of  their  more  immediate 
future ;  and  in  this  way  did  they  pass  the  last  hour  of 
the  night,  —  that  which  was  succeeded  by  the  daybreak. 

As  the  first  streaks  of  dawning  day  appeared  upon 
the  snowy  summits,  —  several  of  which  were  visible 
from  the  door  of  the  hut,  —  all  three  might  have  been 
seen  outside  preparing  themselves  for  the  execution  of 
some  important  design.  Their  purpose  might  easily  be 
told  from  the  character  of  their  preparations.  Caspar 
was  charging  his  double-barrelled  gun ;  and  carefully, 
too,  —  for  it  was  the  "  last  shot  in  his  locker." 

Karl  was  similarly  employed  with  his  rifle,  wlule 
Ossaroo  was  arming  himself  in  his  peculiar  fashion, 
looking  to  the  string  of  his  bow,  and  filling  the  little 
wicker  bag,  that  constituted  his  quiver,  with  sharp- 
pointed  arrows. 

From  this  it  was  evident  that  the  chase  was  the  occu- 
pation immediately  intended,  and  that  all  three  were 
about  to  engage  in  it.  In  truth,  they  were  going  out  in 
search  of  sometliing  for  their  breakfast ;  and  if  a  keen 
appetite  could  insure  success,  they  could  scarce  fail  in 
procuring  it:  for  they  were  aU  three  as  hungry  as 
wolves. 


GOING  ABROAD  FOR  BREAKFAST.       129 

Fritz,  too,  was  as  hungry'%,s  any  of  them  ;  and  looked 
as  if  he  meant  to  do  his  best  in  heljjing  them  to  j)rocure 
the  material  for  a  meal.  Any  creature,  jseast  or  bird, 
that  should  be  so  unfortunate  as  to  come  within  clutch- 
ing distance  of  his  gaunt  jaws,  would  have  but  little 
chance  on  that  particular  morning  of  escaping  from 
them. 

It  had  been  resolved  upon  that  they  should  go  in  dif- 
ferent directions :  as  by  that  means  there  would  be 
three  chances  of  finding  game  instead  of  one ;  and  as 
something  was  wanted  for  breakfast,  the  sooner  it  could 
be  procured  the  better.  K  Ossaroo  should  succeed  in 
killing  anytliing  with  his  arrows,  he  was  to  give  a  shrill 
whistle  to  call  the  others  back  to  the  hut ;  while  if 
either  of  them  should  fire,  of  course  the  shot  would  be 
heard,  and  that  would  be  the  signal  for  all  to  return. 

With  this  understanding,  and  after  some  little  badinage 
about  who  would  be  the  successful  caterer,  they  all  set 
forth,  Caspar  going  to  the  right,  Ossaroo  to  the  left,  and 
Karl,  followed  by  Fritz,  taking  the  centre. 


6* 


130  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

CHAPTER    XXIX. 

CASPAR   ON   A   STALK. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  three  hunters  had  lost  sight  of 
one  another,  Karl  and  Caspar  proceeding  round  the  lake 
by  opposite  sides,  but  both  keeping  under  cover  of  the 
bushes  ;  while  Ossaroo  wended  his  way  along  the  bottom 
of  the  cliff,  —  thinking  he  might  have  a  better  chance  in 
that  direction. 

The  .game  which  Caspar  expected  first  might  fall  in 
his  way  was  the  "  kakur,"  or  barking  deer.  These  little 
animals  appeared  to  be  more  numerous  in  the  valley 
than  any  other  creatures.  Caspar  had  scarcely  ever 
been  abroad  upon  a  shooting  excursion  without. seeing 
one ;  and  on  several  occasions  a  kakur  had  constituted 
his  whole  "  bag."  He  had  learnt  an  ingenious  way  of 
brmging  them  within  range  of  his  gun,  —  simply  by 
placing  himself  in  ambush  and  imitating  their  call ; 
which,  as  may  be  deduced  from  one  of  their  common 
names,  is  a  sort  of  bark.  It  is  a  sound  very  much  re- 
sembling the  bark  of  a  fox,  only  that  it  is  much  louder. 
This  the  kakur  sends  forth,  whenever  it  suspects  the 
presence  of  an  enemy  in  its  neighborhood ;  and  keeps 
repeating  it  at  short  intervals,  until  it  believes  either 
that  the  danger  has  been  withdrawn,  or  withdraws  itself 
fi-om  the  danger. 

The  simple  little  ruminant  does  not  seem  to  be  aware 


CASPAR    ON    A    STALK.  131 

that  this  sound,  —  perhaps  intended  as  a  note  of  warn- 
ing to  its  companions,  —  too  often  becomes  its  own 
death-signal,  by  betraying  its  whereabouts  to  the  sports- 
man or  other  deadly  enemy.  Not  only  the  hunter, 
man,  but  the  tiger,  the  leopard,  the  cheetah,  and  other 
predatory  creatures,  take  advantage  of  this  foolish  habit 
of  the  bai-king-deer ;  and  stealing  upon  it  unawares, 
make  it  their  victim. 

The  bark  is  very  easily  imitated  by  the  human  voice  ; 
and  after  a  single  lesson,  with  Ossaroo  as  instructor, 
not  only  could  Caspar  do  the  decoy  to  a  nicety,  but 
even  Karl,  who  only  overheard  the  shikaree  instructing 
his  pupU,  was  able  to  produce  a  sound  precisely  similar. 

Present  hunger  prompted  Caspar  to  go  in  search  of 
the  kakur,  as  that  would  be  the  game  most  likely  to 
turn  up  first.  There  were  other  quadrupeds,  and  some 
birds  too,  whose  flesh  would  have  served  better,  as  being 
of  superior  delicacy  :  for  the  venison  of  the  barking-deer 
is  none  of  the  sweetest.  In  the  autumn  it  is  not  bad,  — 
nor  up  to  a  late  period  in  the  winter,  —  though  it  is 
never  very  delicious  at  any  season. 

On  that  morning,  however,  Caspar  was  not  at  all  fas- 
tidious ;  and  he  knew  that  neither  were  the  others,  — 
hunger  having  robbed  them  of  all  delicacy  of  appetite. 
Even  kakur  venison  would  be  palatable  enough,  could 
he  procure  it ;  and  for  this  purpose  was  he  going  in 
a  particular  direction,  and  not  wandering  hither  and 
thither,  as  sportsmen  usually  do  when  in  search  of 
game. 

He  knew  of  a  spot  where  kakur  were  almost  sure  of 
being  found.  It  was  a  pretty  glade,  surrounded  by 
thick  evergreen  shrubbery,  —  not  far  from  the  edge  of 


132  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

the  lake,  and  on  the  side  opposite  to  that  where  the  hut 
was  built. 

Caspar  had  never  entered  this  glade  —  and  he  had 
gone  through  it  several  times  —  without  seeing  kakur 
browsing  upon  the  grassy  turf,  or  lying  in  the  shade  of 
the  bushes  that  grew  around  its  edge.  It  was  but  fair 
to  presume,  therefore,  that  on  that  morning,  as  upon 
others,  the  glade  would  furnish  him  with  this  species  of 
game. 

Without  making  stop  anywhere  else,  he  walked  on 
till  he  had  got  within  a  few  rods  of  the  spot  where  he 
expected  to  procure  the  materials  of  the  breakfast ;  and 
then,  entering  among  the  underwood,  he  advanced  more 
slowly  and  with  greater  caution.  To  insure  success,  he 
even  dropped  upon  his  knees,  and  crawled  cat-like,  using 
his  arms  as  forelegs  and  his  hands  as  paws !  After  this 
fashion  he  worked  his  way  forward  to  the  edge  of  the 
opening,  —  all  the  while  keeping  a  thick  leafy  bush  be- 
fore his  body  to  screen  himself  from  the  eyes  of  any 
creature  —  kakur  or  other  animal  —  that  might  be 
within  the  glade. 

On  getting  close  up  beliind  the  bush,  he  came  to 
a  halt;  and  then,  cautiously  raising  his  shoulders,  he 
peeped  through  between  the  leafy  branches. 

It  took  him  some  seconds  of  time  to  survey  the  whole 
surface  of  the  glade  ;  but  when  he  had  finished  his  scru- 
tiny, a  shadow  of  disappointment  might  have  been  seen 
passing  over  his  countenance.  There  was  no  game 
there,  —  neither  kakur  nor  animals  of  any  other  kind. 

Not  without  a  certain  feeling  of  chagrin  did  the  young 
hunter  perceive  that  the  opening  was  empty :  for,  to  say 
nothing  of  the  annoyance  he  felt  on  not  being  able  to 


CASrAK    ON    A    STALK.  133 

procure  a  joint  of  venison  for  breakfast,  he  had  been 
flattering  himself  that,  from  his  superior  knowledge  of 
the  ground,  he  would  be  the  first  to  find  the  material  for 
their  matutinal  meal,  —  about  which  he  had  some  little 
feeling  of  hunter-pride  and  rivalry. 

He  did  not  permit  this  preliminary  disappointment  to 
rob  him  of  all  hope.  If  there  were  no  kakur  within  the 
glade,  there  might  be  some  in  the  bushes  near  its  edge ; 
and  perhaps,  by  adopting  the  decoy  he  had  several  times 
already  practised  —  that  of  imitating  their  call  —  he 
might  entice  one  out  into  the  open  ground. 

Acting  upon  this  idea,  he  squatted  close  behind  the 
bush,  and  commenced  barking,  as  near  as  he  could  a  la 
kakur. 


134  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBEES. 


CHAPTER    XXX. 


THE   DOUBLE   DECOY. 


It  was  some  considerable  time  before  lie  heard  any  re- 
sponse to  cheer  him,  or  observed  any  sign  that  indicated 
the  presence  or  proximity  of  an  animal. 

He  repeated  his  bark  many  times,  with  intervals  of 
silence  between,  —  and  was  about  yielding  to  the  con- 
viction that  not  only  the  open  ground,  but  the  bushes 
around  it,  were  going  to  draw  blank. 

He  had  uttered  his  last  bark,  with  all  the  alluring  in- 
tonation that  he  could  throw  into  the  sound ;  and  was 
about  starting  to  his  feet  to  proceed  elsewhere,  when 
just  then  the  real  cry  of  the  kakur  responded  to  his 
feigned  one,  —  apparently  coming  from  out  the  thicket 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  glade. 

The  sound  was  heard  only  faintly,  as  if  the  animal 
was  at  a  great  distance  oflP;  but  Caspar  knew  that  if  it  was 
a  response  to  his  call  —  which  he  believed  it  to  be  —  it 
would  soon  draw  nearer.  He  lost  no  time,  therefore,  in 
giving  utterance  to  a  fresh  series  of  barks  of  the  most 
seductive  character ;  and  then  once  more  strained  his 
ears  to  listen  for  the  reply. 

Again  the  barks  of  the  kakur  came  back  upon  the 
breeze,  —  repeated  serially,  ^nd  so  resembling  his  own, 
that  had  Caspar  not  known  that  they  proceeded  from 
the  thj'oat  of  a  deer,  he  might  have  fancied  them  to  be 


TUE    DOUBLE    DECOY.  135 

echoes.  He  did  not  allow  many  seconds  to  elapse  be- 
fore barking  again,  and  again,  with  an  equal  straining 
at  allurement. 

This  time,  to  the  surprise  of  the  young  himter,  there 
was  no  response.  He  listened,  but  not  a  sound  came 
back,  —  not  even  an  echo. 

He  barked  again,  and  again  listened.  As  before,  si- 
lence profound,  unbroken. 

No,  —  it  was  not  unbroken.  Although  it  was  not 
the  call  of  the  kakur,  another  soimd  interrupted  the 
stillness,  —  a  soimd  equally  welcome  to  the  ear  of  the 
young  hunter.  It  was  a  rustling  among  the  leaves  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  glade ;  just  such  as  might  indi- 
cate the  passage  of  an  animal  through  the  bushes. 

Directing  his  eye  towards  the  spot  where  the  sound 
ajipeared  to  proceed,  Caspar  saw,  or  fancied  he  saw, 
some  twigs  in  motion.  But  it  was  no  fancy :  for  the 
moment  after  he  not  only  saw  the  twigs  move,  but  behind 
the  bush  to  which  they  belonged  he  could  just  make  out 
a  darkish-colored  object.  It  could  be  nothing  else  than 
the  body  of  the  kakur.  Although  it  was  very  near,  — 
for  the  glade  was  scarce  twenty  yards  across,  and  the 
deer  was  directly  behind  the  line  of  low  shrubs  which 
formed  a  sort  of  selvedge  around  it,  —  Caspar  could  not 
get  a  good  view  of  the  animal.  It  was  well  screened 
by  the  foliage,  and  better  perhaps  by  the  absence  of  a 
bright  light :  for  it  was  yet  only  the  gray  twilight  of 
morning.  There  was  light  enough,  however,  to  take 
aim ;  and  as  the  intervening  branches  were  only  tiny 
twigs,  Caspar  had  no  fear  that  they  would  interfere  with 
the  direction  of  his  bullet.  There  was  no  reason,  there- 
fore, why  he  should  delay  longer.     He  might  not  get  a 


136  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

better  chance  ;  and  if  he  waited  longer,  or  barked  again, 
the  kakur  might  discover  the  decoy,  and  run  back  into 
the  bushes. 

"  Here  goes,  then ! "  muttered  Caspar  to  himself ;  at 
the  same  time  placing  himself  firmly  on  one  knee,  rais- 
ing liis  gun,  and  cocking  it. 

It  was  a  splendid  lock,  —  that  upon  the  right-hand 
barrel  of  Caspar's  gun,  —  one  in  which  the  cock,  on 
being  drawn  to  the  full,  gives  tongue  to  tell  that  the 
spring  is  in  perfect  order. 

In  the  profound  stillness  of  the  morning  air,  the 
"  click  "  sounded  clear  enough  to  have  been  heard  across 
the  glade,  and  much  farther.  Caspar  even  feared  that 
it  might  be  loud  enough  to  affright  the  deer,  and  kept 
his  eye  fixed  upon  the  latter  as  he  drew  back  the  cock. 
The  animal  stirred  not;  but  instead  —  almost  simulta- 
neous with  the  click  of  his  gun,  and  as  if  it  had  been  its 
echo  —  another  click  fell  upon  the  hunter's  ear,  appar- 
ently commg  from  the  spot  on  which  the  kakur  was 
standing ! 

Fortunate  was  it  for  Caspar  that  his  own  spring  had 
clicked  so  clear,  —  and  fortunate  also  he  had  heard  that 
apparent  echo,  —  else  he  might  either  have  shot  his 
brother,  or  his  brother  him,  or  each  might  have  shot  the 
other ! 

As  it  was,  the  second  click  caused  Caspar  to  start  to 
his  feet.  Karl  at  the  same  instant  was  seen  hurriedly 
rising  erect  upon  the  opposite  side  of  the  glade ;  while 
both  with  cocked  guns  in  their  hands  stood  eying  each 
other,  like  two  individuals  about  to  engage  in  a  deadly 
duel  of  rifles ! 

Had  any  one  seen  them  at  that  moment,  and  in  that 


THE    DOUBLE    DECOY.  137 

attitude,  their  wild  looks  would  have  given  color  to  the 
supposition  that  such  was  in  reality  their  intent ;  and 
some  time  would  have  elapsed  before  any  action  on  the 
part  of  either  would  have  contradicted  this  fearful  belief: 
for  it  was  several  seconds  before  either  could  find  speech 
to  express  their  mutual  surprise- 
It  was  something  more  than  surprise,  —  it  was  awe,  — 
a  deep  tragical  emotion  of  indefmable  terror,  gradually 
giving  way  to  a  feeling  of  heartfelt  thankfulness,  at  the 
fortunate  chance  that  had  made  them  aware  of  each 
other's  presence,  and  saved  them  from  a  mutual  frat- 
ricide. 

For  some  seconds,  I  have  said,  not  a  word  was  spoken  ; 
and  then  only  short  exclamations  of  similar  import  came 
trembling  from  the  lips  of  both.  Both,  as  if  acting  under 
a  common  impulse,  flung  their  guns  to  the  ground. 
Then,  rushing  across  the  glade,  they  threw  their  arms 
around  each  other,  and  remained  for  some  moments 
locked  in  a  brotherly  embrace. 

No  explanation  was  needed  by  either.  Karl,  after 
passing  round  the  lake  by  the  other  side,  had  strayed  by 
chance  in  the  direction  of  the  glade.  On  nearing  it,  he 
had  heard  the  barking  of  a  kakur,  —  not  dreaming  that 
it  was  Caspar  acting  as  a  decoy.  He  had  answered  the 
signal ;  and  finding  that  the  kakur  still  kept  its  place,  he 
had  advanced  toward  the  opening  with  the  intention,  of 
stalking  it.  On  getting  nearer  he  had  ceased  to  utter 
the  call,  under  the  belief  that  he  should  find  the  deer  out 
in  the  open  ground.  Just  as  he  arrived  by  its  edge, 
Caspar  was  mimicking  the  kakur  in  such  an  admii'able 
manner,  and  so  energetically,  that  Karl  could  neither 
fail  to  be  deceived  as  to  the  character  of  the  animal,  nor 


138  THE    CT-IFF-CLIMCERS. 

«. 

remain  ignorant  of  its  position.  .The  darkish  disk  visible 
behind  tlie  evergreen  leaves  could  be  no  other  than  the 
body  of  the  deer ;  and  Karl  was  just  about  cocking  liis 
rifle,  to  bore  it  with  a  bullet,  when  the  click  of  Caspar's 
double-barrel  sounding  ominously  in  his  ear,  fortunately 
conducted  to  a  far  different  denotcement  than  that  fatal 
Ji7iale  which  was  so  near  having  occurred. 


THE   SIGNAL    OF   THE    SHIKAREE.  139 


CHAPTER    XXXI. 

THE    SIGNAL    OF    THE    SHIKAREE. 

As  if  sent  to  cheer  and  distract  their  minds  from  the 
feeling  of  dread  awe  which  still  held  possession  of  them, 
just  then  the  shrill  whistle  of  Ossaroo  came  pealing 
across  the  lake,  reverberating  in  echoes  from  the  cliff 
toward  which  he  had  gone.  Shortly  after  the  signal 
sounded  again  in  a  slightly  different  direction,  —  show- 
ing that  the  shikaree  had  succeeded  in  bagging  his  game, 
and  was  returning  towards  the  hut. 

On  hearing  the  signal,  Karl  and  Caspar  regarded  each 
other  with  glances  of  peculiar  significance. 

"  So,  brother,"  said  Caspar,  smiling  oddly  as  he  spoke, 
"you  see  Ossaroo  with  his  despised  bow  and  arrows 
has  beaten  us  both.  What,  if  either  of  us  had  beaten 
him?" 

"  Or,"  replied  Karl,  "  what  if  we  had  both  beaten  him  ? 
Ah  !  brother  Caspar,"  added  he,  shuddering  as  he  spoke, 
"  how  near  we  were  to  making  an  end  of  each  other ! 
It 's  fearful  to  thmk  of  it ! " 

"  Let  us  think  no  more  of  it,  then,"  rejoined  Caspar ; 
"  but  go  home  at  once  and  see  what  sort  of  a  breakfast 
Ossy  has  procured  for  us.  I  wonder  whether  it  be  flesh 
or  fowl." 

"One  or  the  other,  no  doubt,"  he  continued,  after  a 
short  pause.     "  Fowl,  I  fancy  :  for  as  I  came  round  the 


140  THE    CLIFF-CLIMCERS. 

lake  I  heard  some  oddish  screaming  in  the  direction  of 
the  cliff  yonder,  which  was  that  taken  by  Ossaroo.  It 
appeared  to  proceed  from  the  throat  of  some  bu'd ;  yet 
such  I  think  I  have  never  heard  before." 

"  But  I  have,"  replied  Karl ;  "  I  heard  it  also.  I 
fancy  I  know  the  bu-d  that  made  those  wild  notes  ;  and 
if  it  be  one  of  them  the  shikaree  has  shot,  we  shall  have 
a  breakfast  fit  for  a  prince,  and  of  a  kind  LucuUus 
delighted  to  indulge  in.  But  let  us  obey  the  signal 
of  our  shikaree,  and  see  whether  we  're  in  such  good 
luck. 

They  had  already  regained  possession  of  their  guns. 
Shouldering  them,  they  started  forth  from  the  glade,  — 
so  near  being  the  scene  of  a  tragical  event,  —  and,  tui'n- 
ing  the  end  of  the  lake,  walked  briskly  back  in  the 
direction  of  the  hut.  ^ 

On  coming  within  view  of  it,  they  descried  the  shika- 
ree sitting  upon  a  stone,  just  by  the  doorway  ;  and  lying 
across  his  knee  a  most  beautiful  bird,  —  by  far  the  most 
beautiful  that  either  flies  in  the  air,  swims  in  the  water, 
or  walks  upon  the  earth,  —  the  peacock.  Not  the  half 
turkey-shaped  creature  that  struts  around  the  farmyard, 

—  though  he  is  even  more  beautiful  than  any  other  bird, 

—  but  the  wild  peacock  of  the  Ind,  —  of  shape  slender 
and  elegant,  —  of  plumage  resplendent  as  the  most  price- 
less of  gems,  —  and,  what  was  then  of  more  consequence 
to  our  adventurers,  of  flesh  dehcate  and  savory  as  the 
choicest  of  game.  This  last  was  evidently  the  quality 
of  the  peacock  most  admired  by  Ossaroo.  The  elegant 
shape  he  had  already  destroyed ;  the  resplendent  plumes 
he  was  plucking  out  and  casting  to  the  winds,  as  though 
they  had  been  common  feathers ;  and  his  whole  action 


THE    SIGNAL    OF    THE    SHIKAREE.  141 

betokened  that  he  had  no  more  regard  for  those  gi-and 
tail-feathers  and  that  gorgeous  purple  corselet,  than  if  it 
had  been  a  goose,  or  an  old  turkey-cock  that  lay  stretched 
across  his  knee. 

Without  saying  a  word,  when  the  others  came  up,  there 
was  that  in  Ossaroo's  look,  —  as  he  glanced  fiu-tively  to- 
wards the  young  sahibs,  and  saw  that  both  were  empty- 
handed, —  that  betrayed  a  certain  degree  of  pride, — 
just  enough  to  show  that  he  was  enjoying  a  triumph. 
To  know  that  he  was  the  only  one  who  had  made  a  coup, 
it  was  not  necessary  for  him  to  look  up.  Had  either 
succeeded  in  killing  game,  or  even  in  finding  it,  he  must 
have  heard  the  report  of  a  gun,  and  none  such  on  that 
morning  had  awakened  the  echoes  of  the  valley.  Ossa- 
roo,  therefore,  knew  that  a  brace  of  empty  game-bags 
were  all  that  were  brought  back. 

Unlike  the  young  sahibs,  he  had  no  particular  adven- 
ture to  relate.  His  "  stalk  "  had  been  a  very  quiet  one, 
—  ending,  as  most  quiet  stalks  do,  in  the  death  of  the 
animal  stalked.  He  had  heard  the  old  peacock  screech- 
ing on  the  top  of  a  tall  tree ;  he  had  stolen  up  within 
bow  range,  sent  an  arrow  through  his  glittering  gorget, 
and  bi-ought  him  tumbling  to  the  ground.  He  had  then 
laid  his  vulgar  hands  upon  the  beautifiil  bird,  grasping  it 
by  the  legs,  and  carrying  it  with  draggling  wings,  — just 
as  if  it  had  been  a  common  dunghill  fowl  he  was  taking 
to  the  market  of  Calcutta. 

Karl  and  Caspar  did  not  choose  to  waste  time  in  tell- 
ing the  shikaree  how  near  they  had  been  to  leaving  him 
the  sole  and  undisputed  possessor  of  that  detached 
dwelling  and  the  grounds  belonging  to  it.  Himger 
prompted  them  to  defer  the  relation  to  a  future  time ; 


142  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

and  also  to  lend  a  hand  in  the  culinary  operations 
already  initiated  by  Ossaroo.  By  their  aid,  therefore,  a 
fire  was  set  ablaze ;  and  the  peacock,  not  very  cleanly 
plucked,  was  soon  roasting  in  the  flames^  —  Fritz  having 
already  made  short  work  with  the  giblets. 


THE    IBEX.  143 


CHAPTER    XXXII. 

THE    IBEX. 

Big  as  was  the  body  of  the  peacock,  there  was  not 
much  of  it  left  after  that  dejeuner  a  la  doigts  !  Only  the 
bones ;  and  so  clean  picked  were  they,  that,  had  Fritz 
not  already  been  made  welcome  to  the  giblets,  he  woiild 
have  had  but  a  scanty  meal  of  it. 

The  savory  roast  did  a  good  deal  towards  restoring 
the  spirits  of  the  party ;  but  they  could  not  help  dwell- 
ing upon  the  indifferent  prospect  they  now  had  of  pro- 
curmg  a  fresh  stock  of  provisions,  —  so  much  changed 
were  circumstances  by  their  powder  having  been  de- 
stroyed. 

The  bow  and  arrows  of  Ossaroo  were  still  left ;  and 
other  bows  could  be  made  if  that  one  was  to  get  broken. 
Indeed,  Caspar  now  determined  on  having  one  of  his 
own ;  and  practising  archery  under  the  tutelage  of  the 
shikaree,  until  he  should  be  able  to  use  that  old-fashioned 
and  universal  weapon  with  deadly  effect. 

Old-fashioned  we  may  well  term  it :  since  its  exist- 
ence dates  far  beyond  the  earliest  times  of  historical 
record ;  and  universal :  for  go  where  you  wUl,  into  the 
most  remote  corners  of  the  earth,  the  bow  is  found  in 
the  hands  of  the  savage,  copied  from  no  model,  intro- 
duced from  no  external  source,  but  evidently  native  to 
the  country  and  the  tribe,  as  if  when  man  was  first 


144  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

created  the  weapon  had  been  put  into  his  liands  by  the 
Creator  himself! 

Indeed,  the  occurrence  of  the  bow,  —  with  its  neces- 
sary adjunct,  the  arrow,  —  among  tribes  of  savages  liv- 
ing widely  apart,  and  who,  to  all  appearance,  coidd 
never  have  communicated  the  idea  to  one  another,  —  is 
one  of  the  most  curious  circumstances  in  the  history  of 
mankind ;  and  there  is  no  other  way  of  explaining  it, 
than  by  the  supposition  that  the  propelling  power  which 
exists  in  the  recoil  of  a  tightly^stretched  string  must 
be  one  of  the  earliest  phenomena  that  presents  itself  to 
the  human  mind ;  and  that,  therefore,  in  many  parts  of 
the  world  this  idea  has  been  an  indigenous  and  original 
conception. 

The  bow  and  arrow  is  certainly  one  of  the  oldest 
weapons  on  the  earth,  —  as  well  as  one  of  the  most  uni- 
versally distributed.  It  is  a  subject  that,  in  the  hands 
of  the  skilled  ethnologist,  might  become  one  of  the  most 
interesting  chapters  in  the  history  of  the  human  race. 

I  have  said  that  after  eating  the  peacock  our  adven- 
turers were  in  better  spirits ;  but  for  all  that,  they  could 
not  help  feeling  some  little  apprehension  as  to  how  their 
food  was  to  be  obtained  for  the  future.  Ossaroo's  skill 
had  provided  their  breakfast ;  but  how  about  their  din- 
ner ?  And  after  that  their  supper  ?  Even  should  some- 
thing turn  up  for  the  next  meal,  they  might  not  be  so 
fortunate  in  obtaining  the  next  after  that ;  and  this  pre- 
carious way  of  subsistence,  —  living,  as  it  were,  from 
hand  to  mouth,  —  would  be  a  constant  exposure  of  their 
lives  to  the  chances  of  starvation. 

As  soon,  therefore,  as  they  had  finished  with  the  fiesh 
of  the  peacock,  —  and  while  Ossaroo,  who  continued  eat- 


THE    IBEX.  145 

ing  longer  tlian  any  of  them,  was  still  engaged-  in  polish- 
ing off  tlie  "  drumsticks,"  —  the  point  of  replenishing 
the  larder  became  the  subject  of  their  conversation ;  and 
all  agreed  that  to  get  up  a  stock  of  provisions  had  now 
become  a  matter  of  primary  importance.  They  resolved, 
therefore,  to  devote  themselves  entirely  to  this  business, 
—  using  such  means  as  were  in  their  power  for  capturing 
game,  and  devising  other  means  should  these  prove  in- 
sufficient. 

First  and  foremost,  then,  what  were  they  to  have  for 
dinner  ?  Was  it  to  be  fish,  flesh,  or  fowl  ?  They  did 
not  think  of  having  all  three  :  for  in  their  situation  they 
had  no  desire  for  a  fashionable  dinner.  One  course  would 
be  sufficient  for  them ;  and  they  would  only  be  too  thank- 
ful to  have  one  course  assured  to  them. 

Whether  they  would  choose  to  go  fishing  with  Ossa- 
roo's  net,  and  have  fish  for  their  dinner,  or  whether  they 
would  try  for  another  peacock,  or  an  argus  pheasant,  or 
a  brace  of  Brahminy  geese  ;  or  whether  they  would  take 
to  the  woods  and  search  for  grander  game,  had  not  be- 
come a  decided  point ;  when  an  incident  occurred  that 
settled  the  question,  as  to  what  they  were  to  have  for 
dinner.  Without  any  exertion  on  their  part,  —  without 
the  wasting  of  a  single  shot,  or  the  spending  of  an  ar- 
row, they  were  provided  with  meat;  and  in  quantity 
sufficient,  not  only  for  that  day's  dinner,  but  to  ration 
them  for  a  whole  week,  with  odds  and  ends  falling  to 
the  share  of  Fritz. 

They  had  gone  out  of  the  hut  again  ;  and  were  seated, 

as  oft  before,  on  some  large  stones  that  lay  upon  the 

ground  in  front.     It  was  a  fine,  bright  morning ;  and, 

although  cold  in  the  shade,  the  sun  shining  down  upon 

7  J 


146  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBEKS. 

tliem,  reflected  from  the  white  snow  on  the  mountains 
above,  made  it  warm  enough  to  be  pleasant.  For  that 
reason,  and  because  there  was  some  smoke  inside  the 
hut,  where  they  had  cooked  their  breakfast,  they  had 
preferred  eating  it  in  the  open  air ;  and  here  also  they 
were  holding  council  as  to  their  future  proceedings. 

While  thus  engaged,  a  sound  fell  upon  their  ears  that 
bore  some  resemblance  to  the  bleating  of  a  goat.  It 
appeared  to  come  down  from  the  sky  above  them ;  but 
they  knew  that  it  must  be  caused  by  some  animal  on  the 
clilFs  overhead. 

On  looking  upwards,  they  beheld  the  animal ;  and  if 
its  voice  had  already  appeared  to  them  to  be  like  that  of 
a  goat,  the  creature  itself  in  its  personal  appearance,  to  a 
very  great  extent,  carried  out  the  resemblance. 

To  speak  the  truth,  it  was  a  goat;  though  not  one  of 
the  common  kind.     It  was  an  ibex. 

Once  more  Karl  had  the  advantage  of  his  companions. 
His  knowledge  of  natural  history  enabled  him  to  iden- 
tify the  animal.  At  the  first  glance  he  pronounced  it  an 
ibex ;  although  he  had  never  seen  a  living  ibex  before. 
But  the  goat-like  shape  of  the  animal,  its  shaggy  coat, 
and,  above  all,  the  immense  ringed  horns  curving  regu- 
larly backwai'd  over  its  shoulders,  were  all  characteristic 
points,  which  Karl  was  able  to  identify  by  a  comparison 
with  jjictures  he  had  seen  in  books,  and  stuffed  skins  he 
had  examined  in  a  museum. 

Ossaroo  said  it  was  a  goat,  —  some  kind  of  a,  wild 
goat,  he  supposed ;  but  as  Ossaroo  had  never  before 
been  so  high  up  the  mountains,  and  therefore  never  in 
the  regions  frequented  by  the  ibex,  he  knew  it  not.  His 
conjecture  that  it  was  a  goat  was  founded  on  the  general 


THE    IBEX.  147 

resemblance  wliicli  it  bore  to  a  goat ;  and  this  Caspar 
had  observed  as  well  as  Ossaroo. 

They  could  see  the  creature  from  head  to  foot,  stand- 
ing in  a  majestic  attitude  on  a  prominent  point  of  the 
cliff;  but  although  it  was  in  reality  much  larger  than  the 
common  domestic  goat,  it  was  so  distant  from  them  as 
not  to  appear  bigger  than  a  kid.  It  was  en  profile^  how- 
ever, to  their  eyes ;  and  against  the  blue  sky  they  could 
trace  the  outlines  of  the  animal  with  perfect  distinct- 
ness, and  note  the  grand  sweeping  curvature  of  its 
horns. 

The  first  thought  of  Caspar  was  to  lay  hold  of  his  gun 
with  the  idea  of  taking  a  shot  at  it ;  but  both  the  others 
interposed  to  prevent  this,  —  pointing  out  the  impos- 
sibility of  hitting  at  such  a  distance.  Although  seem- 
ingly much  nearer,  the  ibex  was  considerably  more  than 
a  hundred  yards  from  where  they  were  seated :  for  the 
point  of  the  precipice  upon  which  it  stood  was  quite  four 
hundi-ed  feet  above  the  level. 

Caspar,  reflecting  upon  this,  was  easily  dissuaded  from 
his  design  ;  and  the  next  moment  was  wondering  why  he 
had  been  so  near  playing  the  fool  as  to  throw  away 
a  shot  —  his  penultimate  one,  too  —  at  an  animal  placed 
full  fifty  yards  beyond  the  carry  of  his  gun ! 


148  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 


CHAPTER    XXXIII. 

GOATS    AND    SHEEP. 

As  the  ibex  kept  its  ground,  without  showing  any 
signs  of  retreating,  or  even  moving  a  muscle  of  its  body, 
they  remained  watching  it.  Not,  however,  in  silence : 
for  as  the  animal  was  standing  as  if  to  have  its  portrait 
painted,  Karl,  in  words  addressed  to  his  two  compan- 
ions, but  chiefly  intended  for  the  instruction  of  Caspar, 
proceeded  to  execute  that  very  task. 

"  The  ibex,"  said  he,  "  is  an  animal  whose  name  has 
been  long  famous,  and  about  which  the  closet  naturalists 
have  written  a  great  deal  of  nonsense,  —  as  they  have 
about  almost  every  other  animal  on  the  earth.  After  all 
that  has  been  said  about  it,  it  is  simply  a  goat,  —  a  wild 
goat,  it  is  true,  but  still  only  a  goat,  —  having  all  the 
habits,  and  very  much  of  the  appearance  characteristic 
of  the  domestic  animal  of  this  name. 

"  Everyone  knows  that  the  common  goat  exists  in  as 
many  varieties  as  the  countries  it  inhabits.  Indeed, 
there  are  more  kinds  of  goats  than  countries :  for  it  is 
not  uncommon  to  meet  with  three  or  four  sorts  within 
the  boundaries  of  a  single  kingdom,  —  as  in  Great 
Britain  itself  These  varieties  differ  almost  as  much 
from  each  other  as  the  '  breeds '  of  dogs ;  and  hence 
there  has  been  much  speculation  among  zoologists  as 
to  what  species  of  wild  goat  they  have  all  originally 
sprung  from. 


GOATS    AND    SHEEP.  149 

"  Now,  it  is  my  opinion,"  continued  the  plant-hunter, 
"  that  the  tame  goats  found  among  different  nations 
of  the  earth  have  not  all  descended  from  the  same  stock, 
but  are  the  progeny  of  more  than  one  wild  species,  — 
just  as  the  domesticated  breeds  of  sheep  have  sprung 
from  several  species  of  wild  sheep ;  though  many  zoolo- 
gists deny  this  very  plain  fact." 

"There  are  different  species  of  wild  goats,  then?" 
said  Caspar,  interrogatively. 

"There  are,"  replied  the  plant-hunter,  "though  they 
are  not  very  numerous,  —  perhaps  in  all  there  may  be 
about  a  dozen.  As  yet  there  are  not  so  many  known  to 
zoologists,  —  that  is,  not  a  dozen  that  have  been  identi- 
fied and  described  as  distinct  species ;  but  no  doubt  when 
the  central  countries,  both  of  Asia  and  Africa  —  with 
their  grand  chains  of  mountains  —  have  been  explored 
by  scientific  naturalists,  at  least  that  number  will  be 
found  to  exist. 

"  The  speculating  systematists  —  who  decide  about 
genera  and  species,  by  some  slight  protuberance  upon  a 
tooth  —  have  already  created  a  wonderful  confusion  in 
the  family  of  the  goats.  Not  contented  with  viewing 
them  all  as  belonging  to  a  single  genus,  they  have  di- 
vided them  into  five  genera,  —  though  to  most  of  the 
five  they  ascribe  only  one  species  !  —  thus  uselessly  mul- 
tiplying names,  and  rendering  the  study  of  the  subject 
more  complicated  and  difficult. 

"  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  goats,  both  wild  and 
tame,  —  including  the  ibex,  which  is  a  true  wild  goat, 
—  form  of  themselves  a  separate  family  in  the  animal 
kingdom,  easily  distinguishable  from  sheep,  deer,  ante- 
lopes, or  oxen.     The  wild  goats  often  bear  a  very  close 


150  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

resemblance  to  certain  species  of  wild  sheep ;  and  the 
two  are  not  to  be  distinguished  from  each  other,  by  the 
goats  being  covered  with  hair  and  the  sheep  with  wool, 
—  as  is  generally  the  case  with  tame  breeds.  On  the 
contrary,  both  sheep  and  goats  in  a  wild  state  have  hairy 
coats,  —  the  sheep  as  much  as  the  goats ;  and  in  many 
instances  the  hair  of  both  is  quite  as  short  as  that  of  an- 
telopes or  deer.  Even  where  there  are  almost  no  exter- 
nal marks  to  distinguish  wUd  goats  from  certain  kinds 
of  wild  sheep,  there  are  found  moral  characteristics 
which  serve  as  guides  to  the  genus.  The  goat  is  bolder, 
and  of  a  fiercer  nature ;  and  its  other  habits,  even  in 
the  wild  state,  differ  essentially  from  those  of  the  wUd 
sheep. 

"  The  ibex  which  we  see  above  us,"  continued  Karl, 
looking  up  to  the  quadruped  upon  the  cliif,  "  is  neither 
more  nor  less  than  a  wild  goat.  It  is  not  the  only  spe- 
cies of  wild  goat  inhabiting  the  Himalayas ;  for  there  is 
the  '  tahir,'  a  stronger  and  larger  animal  than  it ;  and  it 
is  believed  that  when  these  great  mountains  have  been 
thoroughly  ransacked  [Karl  here  smUed  at  the  very  un- 
scientific word  he  had  made  use  of],  there  will  turn  up 
one  or  two  additional  species. 

"  It  is  not  the  only  species  of  ibex  neither,"  continued 
he,  "  for  there  is  one  found  in  the  European  Alps, 
known  by  the  name  of  '  steinboc ' ;  another,  in  the  Pyr- 
enees, called  the  '  tur ' ;  a  third,  in  the  Caucasus,  the 
'  zac ' ;  and  one  or  two  others  in  the  mountains  of  Africa. 

"  With  regard  to  the  animal  now  before,  or  rather 
above  us,"  continued  Karl,  "  it  differs  very  little  from 
others  of  the  same  family ;  and  as  both  its  appearance 
and  habits  have  been  very  ably  described  by  a  noted 


GOATS    AND    SHEEP.  151 

sportsman,  who  was  also  an  accomplished  naturalist,  I 
cannot  do  better  than  quote  his  description:  since  it 
gives  almost  every  detail  that  is  yet  authentically  known 
of  the  Himalayan  ibex. 

"  '  The  male,'  writes  this  gentleman  author,  '  is  about 
the  size  of  the  tahir  [here  he  speaks  of  the  other  well- 
known  species  of  Himalayan  wild  goat,  and  which  is  it- 
self much  larger  than  any  of  the  domesticated  kinds]. 
Except  just  after  changing  their  coats,  when  they  are  of 
a  grayish  hue,  the  general  color  of  the  ibex  is  a  dirty 
yellowish  brown.  I  have,  however,  killed  the  younger 
animals,  both  male  and  female,  with  their  coats  as  red  as 
that  of  a  deer  in  his  red  coat ;  but  never  saw  an  old 
male  of  that  color,  for  the  reason,  I  imagine,  that  he 
lives  much  higher,  and  sheds  his  hair  much  later  in  the 
season.  The  hair  is  short,  something  in  texture  like 
that  of  the  hurrell  and  other  wild  sheep  ;  and  in  the  cold 
weather  is  mixed  with  a  very  soft  downy  wool,  resem- 
blmg  the  shawl  wool  of  Thibet.  This  and  the  old  hair 
is  shed  in  May  and  June  ;  and  in  districts  occupied  by 
the  flocks  at  that  season  the  bushes  and  sharp  corners 
of  rocks  are  covered  with  their  cast-off  winter  coats. 
The  striking  appearance  of  the  ibex  is  chiefly  owing  to 
the  noble  horns  which  nature  has  bestowed  upon  it.  In 
full-grown  animals  the  horns,  which  curve  gracefully 
over  the  shoulders,  are  from  three  to  four  feet  in  length 
along  the  curve,  and  about  eleven  inches  in  circumfer- 
ence at  the  base.  Very  few  attain  a  greater  length  than 
four  feet ;  but  I  have  heard  of  their  being  three  inches 
longer.  Then-  beards,  six  or  eight  inches  in  length,  are 
of  shaggy  black  hair.  The  females,  light  grayish-brown 
in  color,  are  hardly  a  third  the  size  of  the  males ;  and 


152  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

their  horns  are  round  and  tapering,  from  ten  inches  to  a 
foot  in  length.  Their  appearance  upon  the  whole  is 
clean-made,  agile,  and  gi-aceful. 

"  <  In  the  summer  they  everywhere  resort  to  the  high- 
est accessible  places  where  food  can  be  found,  —  often  to 
a  part  of  the  country  several  marches  distant  from  their 
winter  haunts.  This  migration  commences  as  soon  as 
the  snow  begins  to  disappear ;  and  is  very  gradually 
performed,  —  the  animals  receding  from  hill  to  hill,  and 
remaining  a  few  days  upon  each. 

" '  At  this  season  the  males  keep  in  large  flocks,  apart 
from  the  females ;  and  as  many  as  a  hundred  may  occa- 
sionally be  seen  together.  During  the  heat  of  the  day 
they  rarely  move  about,  but  rest  and  sleep,  —  either  on 
the  beds  of  snow  in  the  ravines,  or  on  the  rocks  and 
shingly  slopes  of  the  barren  hillsides,  above  the  limits 
of  vegetation.  Sometimes,  but  very  rarely,  they  will  lie 
down  on  the  grassy  spots  where  they  have  been  feeding. 
Towards  evening  they  begin  to  move,  and  proceed  to 
their  grazing-grounds,  —  which  are  often  miles  away. 
They  set  out  walking  slowly  at  first ;  but,  if  they  have 
any  considerable  distance  before  them,  soon  break  into  a 
trot ;  and  sometimes  the  whole  flock  will  go  as  hard  as 
they  can  lay  legs  to  the  ground.  From  what  we  could 
gather  from  the  natives,  we  concluded  that  they  remain 
in  these  high  regions  until  the  end  of  October ;  when 
they  begin  to  mix  with  the  females,  and  gradually  de- 
scend to  their  winter  resorts.  The  females  do  not  wan- 
der so  much  or  so  far,  —  many  remaining  on  the  same 
ground  tln-oughout  the  year,  —  and  those  that  do  visit 
the  distant  hills  are  generally  found  lower  down  than 
the  males,  seldom  ascending  above  the  limits  of  vegeta- 


GOATS   AND    SHEEP.  153 

tion.  They  bring  forth  their  young  in  July,  having  gen- 
erally two  at  a  birth ;  though,  like  other  gregarious 
animals,  many  are  frequently  found  barren. 

" '  The  ibex  are  wary  animals,  gifted  with  very  sharp 
sight  and  an  acute  sense  of  smell.  They  are  very  easily 
alarmed,  and  so  wild,  that  a  single  shot  fired  at  a  flock 
is  often  sufficient  to  drive  them  away  from  that  particu- 
lar range  of  hills  they  may  be  upon.  Even  if  not  fired 
at,  the  appearance  of  a  human  being  near  their  haunts 
is  not  unfrequently  attended  with  the  same  result.  Of 
this  we  had  many  instances  during  our  rambles  after 
them,  and  the  very  first  flock  of  old  males  we  found  gave 
us  a  proof.  They  were  at  the  head  of  the  Asrung  val- 
ley, and  we  caught  sight  of  them  just  as  they  were  com- 
ing down  the  hill  to  feed,  —  a  noble  flock  of  nearly  a 
hundred  old  males.  It  was  late  in  the  day,  and  we  had 
a  long  way  to  return  to  camp.  Prudence  whispered, 
*'  Let  them  alone  till  to-morrow,"  but  excitement  carried 
the  day,  and  we  tried  the  stalk.  Having  but  little  day- 
light remaining,  we  may  have  hurried,  and  consequently 
approached  them  with  less  caution  than  we  should  have 
done  had  we  had  time  before  us.  However  it  might  be, 
we  failed  ;  for  long  before  we  got  within  range,  some  of 
them  discovered  us,  and  the  whole  flock  decamped  with- 
out giving  us  the  chance  of  a  shot.  Not  having  fired 
at,  or  otherwise  distm-bed  them,  more  than  by  approach- 
ing the  flock,  we  were  in  great  hopes  of  finding  them 
the  next  day  ;  but  that  and  several  succeeding  ones  were 
passed  in  a  fruitless  search.  They  had  entii-ely  forsaken 
that  range  of  liills. 

"  *  All  readers  of  natural  history  are  familiar  with  the 
wonderful  climbing  and  saltatory  powers  of  the  ibex ; 
7* 


154  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

and,  although  they  cannot  (as  has  been  described  in 
print)  make  a  spring  and  hang  on  by  their  horns  until 
they  gain  footing,  yet  in  reality,  for  such  heavy-looking 
animals,  they  get  over  the  most  inaccessible-looking 
places  in  an  almost  miraculous  manner.  Notliing  seema 
to  stop  them,  nor  to  impede  in  the  least  their  progress. 
To  see  a  flock,  after  being  fired  at,  take  a  direct  line 
across  country,  which  they  often  do,  over  all  sorts  of 
seemingly  impassable  ground ;  now  along  the  naked 
face  of  an  almost  perpendicular  rock,  then  across  a  for- 
midable landslip,  or  an  inclined  plane  of  loose  stones  or 
sand,  which  the  slightest  touch  sets  in  motion  both  above 
and  below  ;  diving  into  chasms  to  which  there  seems  no 
possible  outlet,  but  instantly  reappearing  on  the  opposite 
side  ;  never  deviating  in  the  slightest  from  their  course  ; 
and  at  the  same  time  getting  over  the  ground  at  the  rate 
of  something  like  fifteen  miles  an  hour,  is  a  sight  not 
easily  to  be  forgotten.  There  are  few  animals,  if  any, 
that  excel  the  ibex  in  endurance  and  agility.' " 


A    BATTLE    OF    BUCKS.  155 


CHAPTER    XXXIV. 

A    BATTLE    OF    BUCKS. 

Karl  had  scarcely  finished  speaking,  when,  as  if  to 
illustrate  still  further  the  habits  of  the  ibex,  a  curious 
incident  occurred  to  the  animal  upon  which  their  eyes 
were  fixed. 

It  ceased  to  be  a  solitary  individual :  for  while  they 
were  gazing  at  it  another  ibex  made  its  appearance  upon 
the  clifi",  advancing  towards  the  one  first  seen.  The  new- 
comer was  also  a  male,  as  its  huge  cimeter-shaped  horns 
testified  ;  while  in  size,  as  in  other  respects,  it  resembled 
the  one  already  on  the  rock  as  much  as  if  they  had  been 
brothers.  It  was  not  likely  they  were  so.  At  all 
events,  tlie  behavior  of  the  former  evinced  anything  but 
a  fraternal  feeling.  On  the  contrary,  it  was  advancing 
with  a  hostile  intent,  as  its  attitudes  clearly  proved.  Its 
muzzle  was  turned  downward  and  inward,  until  the 
bearded  chin  almost  touched  its  chest ;  while  the  tips  of 
its  horns,  instead  of  being  thrown  back  upon  its  shoul- 
(Jers,  —  their  usual  position  when  the  animal  stands 
erect,  —  were  elevated  liigh  in  the  air.  Moreover,  its 
short  tail,  held  upright  and  jerking  about  with  a  quick, 
nervous  motion,  told  that  the  animal  meditated  mis- 
chief. Even  at  so  great  a  distance  the  spectators  could 
perceive  this  :  for  the  forms  of  both  the  ibex  were  so 
clearly  outlined  against  the  sky,  that  the  slightest  motion 


156  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBEKS. 

on  the  part  of  either  could  be  perceived  with  perfect 
distinctness. 

The  new-comer,  when  first  observed,  appeared  to  be 
approaching  by  stealth,  —  as  if  he  intended  to  play  the 
cowardly  assassin,  and  butt  the  other  over  the  cliif !  In- 
deed, this  was  his  actual  design,  as  was  discovered  in  the 
sequel ;  and  had  the  other  only  remained  for  six  seconds 
longer  in  the  attitude  in  which  he  had  been  first  seen, 
his  assailant  would  no  doubt  have  at  once  succeeded  in 
his  treacherous  intent. 

We  are  sorry  to  have  to  say  that  he  did  succeed,  — 
though  not  without  a  struggle,  and  the  risk  of  being 
himself  compelled  to  take  that  desperate  leap  which  he 
had  designed  for  his  antagonist. 

It  was  probably  the  voice  of  Caspar  that  hindered 
the  immediate  execution  of  this  wicked  intention ; 
though,  alas  !  it  only  stayed  it  for  a  short  time.  Caspar, 
on  seeing  the  treaclierous  approach,  had  involuntarily 
uttered  a  cry  of  warning.  Though  it  could  not  have 
been  understood  by  the  imperilled  ibex,  it  had  the  effect 
of  startling  him  from  his  dreamy  attitude,  and  causing 
liim  to  look  around.  In  that  look  he  perceived  his  dan- 
ger, and  quick  as  thought  took  measures  to  avert  it. 
Suddenly  raising  himself  on  his  hind  legs,  and  using 
them  as  a  pivot,  he  wheeled  about,  and  then  came  to 
the  ground  on  all  fours,  face  to  face  with  his  adversary. 
He  showed  no  sign  of  any  desire  to  retreat,  but  seemed 
to  accept  the  challenge  as  a  matter  of  course.  Indeed, 
from  his  ^losition,  it  would  have  been  impossible  for  him 
to  have  retreated  with  any  chance  of  safety.  The  cliff" 
upon  which  he  had  been  standing  was  a  sort  of  promon- 
tory projecting  beyond  the  general  line  of  the  precipice ; 


A    BATTLE    OF    BUCKS.  157 

and  towards  the  mountain  sloi^e  above  his  escape  had 
been  ah-eady  cut  off  by  his  challenger.  On  all  other 
sides  of  hina  was  the  beetling  cliff.  He  had  no  alterna- 
tive but  fight,  or  be  "knocked  over."  It  was  less  a 
matter  of  choice  than  necessity  that  determined  him- 
upon  standing  his  ground. 

This  determination  he  had  just  time  to  take,  and  just 
time  to  put  himself  in  an  attitude  of  defence,  when  his 
antagonist  charged  towards  him.  Both  animals,  at  the 
same  instant,  uttered  a  fierce,  snorting  sound,  and  rising 
upon  their  hind-legs,  stood  fronting  each  other  like  a 
brace  of  bipeds.  In  this  movement  the  spectators  rec- 
ognized the  exact  mode  of  combat  practised  by  common 
goats  ;  for  just  in  the  same  fashion  does  the  ibex  exhibit 
his  prowess.  Instead  of  rushing  horizontally,  head  to 
head,  and  pressing  each  other  backwards,  as  rams  do  in 
their  contests,  the  ibex  after  rearing  aloft,  come  down 
again,  horns  foremost,  using  the  weight  of  their  bodies 
as  the  propelling  power,  each  endeavoring  to  crush  the 
other  between  his  massive  crest  and  the  earth. 

Several  times  in  succession  did  the  two  combatants 
repeat  their  roarings  aloft,  and  the  downward  strokes  of 
their  horns  ;  but  it  soon  became  evident  that  the  one 
who  had  been  the  assailant  was  also  to  be  the  conqueror. 
He  had  an  advantage  in  the  ground :  for  the  platform 
which  his  adversary  occupied,  and  from  which  he  could 
not  escape,  was  not  wide  enough  to  afford  room  for  any 
violent  movements  ;  and  the  imminent  danger  of  getting 
a  hoof  over  the  cliff  evidently  inspired  him  with  fear 
and  constraint.  The  assailant,  having  plenty  of  space  to 
move  in,  was  able  to  "  back  and  fill  "  at  pleasure,  now 
receding  foot  by  foot,  then  rusliing  forward,  rising  erect, 


158  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

and  striking  down  again.  Each  time  lie  made  his  on- 
slaught with  renewed  impetus,  derived  from  the  advan- 
tage of  the  ground,  as  well  as  the  knowledge  that  if  his 
blow  failed,  he  should  only  have  to  repeat  it ;  whereas, 
on  the  part  of  his  opponent,  the  failure  of  a  single  stroke, 
or  even  of  a  guard,  would  almost  to  a  certainty  be  the 
prelude  to  his  destruction. 

Whether  it  was  that  the  ibex  attacked  was  the  weaker 
animal  of  the  two,  or  whether  the  disadvantage  of  the 
ground  was  against  liim,  it  soon  became  evident  that  he 
was  no  match  for  his  assailant.  From  the  very  first,  he 
appeared  to  act  only  on  the  defensive ;  and  in  all  likeli- 
hood, had  the  road  been  open  to  him,  he  would  have 
turned  tail  at  once  and  taken  to  his  heels. 

But  no  opportunity  for  flight  was  permitted  him  at 
any  moment  from  the  beginning  of  the  contest ;  and 
none  was  likely  to  be  given  him  until  it  should  end. 
The  only  chance  of  escape  that  aj^peared,  even  to  him, 
was  to  make  a  grand  leap,  and  clear  his  adversary,  horns 
and  all. 

This  idea  seemed  at  length  to  take  possession  of  his 
brain :  for  all  on  a  sudden  he  was  seen  to  forsake  his 
attitude  of  defence,  and  bound  high  into  the  air,  —  as 
if  to  get  over  his  adversary's  horns,  and  hide  himself 
among  the  safer  snow-drifts  of  the  mountains. 

If  such  was  his  intent,  it  proved  a  sad  failure.  While 
soaring  in  the  air,  —  all  his  four  feet  raised  high  off  the 
ground,  —  the  huge  horns  of  his  adversary  were  im- 
pelled with  fearful  force  against  his  ribs,  the  stroke  toss- 
ing him  like  a  shuttlecock  clear  over  the  edge  of  the 
cliff! 

The  blow  had  been  delivered  so  as  to  project  his  body 


A    BATTLE    OF    BUCKS.  159 

with  a  revolving  impetus  into  the  air ;  and  turning  round 
and  round,  it  fell  with  a  heavy  concussion  into  the  bot- 
tom of  the  valley ;  where,  after  rebounding  full  six  feet 
from  the  ground,  it  fell  back  again  dead  as'  a  stone. 

It  was  some  seconds  before  the  spectators  could  re- 
cover from  surprise  at  an  incident  so  curious ;  though  it 
was  one  that  may  often  be  witnessed  by  those  who  wan- 
der among  the  wild  crags  of  the  Himalayas,  —  where 
combats  between  the  males  of  the  ibex,  the  tahir,  the 
burrell  or  Himalayan  wild  sheep,  and  also  the  rams  of 
the  gigantic  Ovis  ammon,  are  of  common  occurrence. 

These  battles  are  often  fought  upon  the  edge  of  a 
beetling  precipice,  —  for  it  is  in  such  places  that  these 
four  species  of  animals  delight  to  dwell,  —  and  not  un- 
frequently  the  issue  of  the  contest  is  such  as  that  wit- 
nessed by  our  adventurers,  —  one  of  the  combatants 
being  "butted"  or  pushed  right  over  the  cliff. 

It  does  not  follow  that  the  animal  thus  put  hors  de 
combat  is  always  killed.  On  the  contrary,  unless  the 
precipice  be  one  of  stupendous  height,  an  ibex,  or  tahir, 
or  burrell,  will  get  up  again  after  one  of  those  fearful 
falls ;  and  either  run  or  limp  away  from  the  spot,  — 
perhaps  to  recover,  and  try  his  luck  and  strength  in 
some  future  encounter  with  the  same  adversary.  One 
of  the  most  remarkable  instances  of  this  kmd  is  related 
by  the  intelUgent  sportsman.  Colonel  Markham,  and  by 
him  vouched  for  as  a  fact  that  came  under  his  own  ob- 
servation.    We  copy  his  account  verbatim  :  — 

"  I  witnessed  one  of  the  most  extraordinary  feats  j^er- 
formed  by  an  old  tahir,  that  I,  or  any  other  man,  ever 
beheld.  I  shot  him  when  about  eighty  yards  overhead 
upon  a  ledge  of  rocks.     He  fell   perpendicularly  that 


160  THE    CLIFF-CLIIIBERS. 

distance,  and,  without  touching  the  ground  or  the  sides 
of  the  precipice,  rebounded,  and  fell  again  about  fifteen 
yards  farther  down.  I  thought  he  was  knocked  to  atoms, 
but  he  got  up  and  went  off;  and  although  we  tracked 
him  by  his  blood  to  a  considerable  distance,  we  were, 
after  all,  unable  to  find  him  !  " 

My  young  readers  may  remember  that  many  similar 
feats  have  been  witnessed  in  the  Rocky  Mountains  of 
America,  performed  by  the  "  bighorn,"  —  a  wild  sheep 
that  inhabits  these  mountains,  so  closely  resembling  the 
Ovis  ammon  of  the  Himalayas  as  to  be  regarded  by 
some  naturalists  as  belonging  to  the  same  species.  The 
hunters  of  the  American  wilderness  j)Ositively  assert 
that  the  bighorn  fearlessly  flings  himself  from  high 
cliffs,  alighting  on  his  horns ;  and,  then  rebounding  into 
the  air  like  an  elastic  ball,  recovers  his  feet  unhurt,  and 
even  unstunned  by  the  tremendous  "  header !  " 

No  doubt  there  is  a  good  deal  of  exaggeration  in 
these  "  hunter  stories  " ;  but  it  is  nevertheless  true  that 
most  species  of  wild  goats  and  sheep,  as  well  as  several 
of  the  rock-loving  antelopes,  —  the  chamois  and  klip- 
springer,  for  instance,  —  can  do  some  prodigious  feats  in 
the  leaping  line,  and  such  as  it  is  ditficidt  to  believe  iu 
by  any  one  not  accustomed  to  the  habits  of  these  ani- 
mals. It  is  not  easy  to  comprehend  how  Colonel  Mark- 
ham's  tahir  could  have  fallen  eighty  yards,  —  that  is,  two 
hundred  and  forty  feet,  —  to  say  nothing  of  the  supple- 
mentary descent  of  forty -five  feet  farther, — without  being 
smashed  to  "  smithereens."  But  although  we  may  hesitate 
to  give  credence  to  such  an  extraordinary  statement,  it 
would  not  be  a  proper  thing  to  give  it  a  flat  contradiction. 
Who  knows  whether  there  may  not  be  in  the  bones  of 


A   BATTLE    OF   BUCKS.  161 

these  animals  some  elastic  principle  or  quality  enabling 
tliem  to  counteract  the  effects  of  such  great  falls  ? 

There  are  many  mechanical  contrivances  of  animal 
life  as  yet  but  very  imperfectly  understood ;  and  it  is 
well  known  that  Nature  has  wonderfully  adapted  her 
creatures  to  the  haunts  and  habits  for  which  she  has  de- 
signed them.  It  may  be,  then,  that  these  wild  goats 
and  sheep,  —  the  Blondins  and  Leotards  of  the  quadru- 
ped world,  —  are  gifted  with  certain  saltatory  powers, 
and  furnished  with  structural  contrivances  which  are 
altogether  wanting  to  other  animals  not  requiring  them. 
It  would  not  be  right,  therefore,  without  a  better  knowl- 
edge of  the  principles  of  animal  mechanism,  to  contra- 
dict the  statement  of  such  a  respectable  authority  as 
Colonel  Markham,  —  especially  since  it  appears  to  be 
made  in  good  faith,  and  without  any  motive  for  exag- 
geration. 

Our  adventurers  had  entered  into  no  discussion  of  this 
subject  on  observing  the  descent  of  the  ibex.  Indeed, 
there  was  nothing  to  suggest  such  speculations  ;  for  the 
creature  had  fallen  from  such  an  immense  height,  and 
come  down  with  "such  a  thump"  upon  the  hard  turf, 
that  it  never  occurred  to  any  of  them  to  fancy  that  there 
was  a  single  gasp  of  breath  left  in  its  body.  Nor  was 
there  ;  for  on  reaching  the  ground  after  its  rebound,  the 
animal  lay  with  limbs  loose  and  limp,  and  without  sign 
of  motion,  —  evidently  a  carcass. 


162  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 


CHAPTER    XXXV. 

THE    BEARCOOTS. 

Our  adventurers  were  congratulating  themselves  on 
tills  unexpected  accession  to  their  larder ;  which,  like 
the  manna  of  old,  had,  as  it  were,  rained  down  from  the 
sky. 

''  Our  dinner ! "  shouted  Caspar,  gleefully,  as  the 
"  thump "  of  the  falling  ibex  sounded  in  their  ears. 
"  Our  supper,  too,"  he  added.  "  Ay,  more  !  In  such  a 
large  carcass  there  must  be  provision  to  last  us  for  a 
week ! " 

All  three  rose  to  their  feet,  and  were  about  starting 
forward  to  secure  the  prize  ;  when  a  shrill  scream  twice 
repeated  fell  upon  their  ears,  —  coming  down  a^jparently 
from  the  top  of  the  cliffs,  or  rather  from  the  mountain 
that  trended  stdl  higher  above  them. 

Could  it  be  the  cry  of  the  conquering  ibex,  —  his  slo- 
gan of  triumph  ?  No  ;  it  was  not  his  voice,  nor  that  of 
a  quadruped  of  any  kind.  Neither  did  the  spectators 
for  an  instant  believe  it  to  be  so.  On  turning  their  eyes 
ujDward,  they  saw  the  creature,  or  the  creatures,  —  for 
there  were  two  of  them,  —  from  whose  throats  those 
screams  had  proceeded. 

The  victorious  ibex  was  still  standing  conspicuously 
upon  the  cliff.  During  the  few  seconds  that  the  atten- 
tion of  the  spectators  had  been  occupied  elsewhere,  he 


THE    BEARCOOTS.  163 

appeared  to  have  been  contemplating  the  dire  deed  of 
destruction  he  had  just  accomplished,  and  j)erhaps  in- 
dulging in  the  triumph  he  had  obtained  over  his  unfor- 
tunate rival.  At  all  events  he  had  stepped  forward 
upon  the  projecting  point  of  the  rock,  —  to  the  very 
sjiot  so  lately  occupied  by  his  adversary. 

The  cry,  however,  which  had  been  heard  in  the  valley 
below  had  reached  his  ears  at  the  same  time,  and  per- 
haps a  little  sooner :  for  as  the  spectators  looked  up, 
they  saw  that  he  had  been  startled  by  it,  and  was  look- 
ing around  him  with  evident  alarm.  In  the  air  above 
and  not  many  yards  distant  from  him,  were  two  dark 
objects,  easily  recognizable  as  birds  upon  the  wing. 
They  were  of  large  size,  nearly  black  in  color,  and  with 
that  peculiar  sharpness  of  outline  and  sweep  of  wing 
that  distinguish  the  true  birds  of  prey.  There  was  no 
mistaking  their  kind,  —  they  were  eagles,  —  of  a  species 
known  in  the  Himalayas  and  the  steppes  of  Thibet  as 
the  "bearcoot." 

They  were  swooping  in  short,  abrupt  curves,  at  inter- 
vals repeating  their  shrill  screams,  both  crying  out  to- 
gether, and  from  their  excited  mien,  and  the  character 
of  their  movements,  no  doubt  could  be  entertained  as  to 
the  object  of  their  noisy  demonstrations.  They  were 
about  to  assault  an  enemy,  and  that  enemy  was  no  other 
than  the  ibex. 

The  animal  appeared  to  be  fully  aware  of  their 
intent ;  and  seemed  for  a  moment  to  be  irresolute  as  to 
how  it  should  act.  Instead  of  placing  itself  in  a  bold, 
defiant  attitude,  —  such  as  it  had  lately  assumed  towards 
an  antagonist  of  its  own  kind,  —  it  stood  cowering,  and 
apparently  paralyzed  with  fear.     It  was  this  very  effect 


164  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

which  the  eagles,  by  their  screaming,  had  designed  to 
produce  ;  and  certainly  the  fierce  birds  were  succeeding 
to  the  utmost  of  their  expectations. 

The  spectators  kept  their  eyes  fixed  upon  the  actors 
of  this  new  drama,  —  watching  every  movement,  both  of 
the  birds  and  the  beast,  with  intense  interest.  All  were 
desirous  of  seeing  the  latter  punished  for  the  cruel  act 
he  had  just  committed,  and  which  they  regarded  as  savor- 
ing very  strongly  of  fratricide. 

It  was  written  in  the  book  of  fate  that  their  desire 
should  be  gratified,  and  that  the  destroyer  should  him- 
self be  destroyed.  They  were  expecting  to  witness  a 
somewhat  prolonged  combat ;  but  in  this  expectation 
they  were  disappointed.  The  duration  of  the  conflict 
was  as  brief  as  the  preliminaries  that  led  to  it ;  and 
these  were  of  the  shortest  kind  :  for  scarce  ten  seconds 
had  elapsed,  after  they  had  uttered  their  first  scream, 
before  the  bearcoots  swooped  down  to  the  level  of  the 
cliff",  and  commenced  a  joint  attack  uijon  the  ibex,  strik- 
ing at  him  alternately  with  beak  and  claws. 

For  a  short  time  the  quadruped  was  shi'ouded,  —  al- 
most hidden,  —  under  the  broad,  shadowy  wings  of  the 
birds ;  but  even  when  its  figure  could  be  traced,  it 
appeared  to  be  making  no  very  energetic  efforts  at  de- 
fending itself.  The  sudden  attack  made  by  such  strange 
enemies,  seemed  to  have  completely  disconcerted  the 
ibex  ;  and  it  remained  as  if  still  under  the  paralysis  of 
fear. 

After  a  moment  or  two  had  passed,  the  ibex  appeared 
to  recover  self-possession ;  and  then  he,  rearing  up, 
struck  out  with  his  horns.  But  the  bearcoots  were  on 
the  alert ;  and  each  time  that  the  animal  attempted  a 


In  anoUici  lustant  the  ibe\  was  in  mid-au,  —  t  illiu^,  —  t  ilUu^' 


THE    BKARCOOTS.  165 

forward  movement,  they  easily  avoided  the  hlow  by 
shying  to  one  side  or  the  other  ;  and  then  quickly  wheel- 
ing, they  would  swoop  back  upon  it  from  behind. 

In  this  way  was  the  conflict  progressing,  the  ibex 
holding  the  ground  upon  which  he  had  been  first  at- 
tacked, turning  round  and  round,  with  his  two  fore  hoofs 
held  close  together,  or  else  rearing  aloft  on  his  hind-legs, 
and  using  them  as  a  pivot. 

It  would  have  been  better  for  the  ibex  had  he  kept  to 
his  forefeet  altogether ;  as  in  that  attitude  he  might  have 
held  his  ground  a  little  longer,  —  perhaps  until  he  had 
either  beaten  off  his  winged  assailants,  or  wearied  them 
out  by  a  prolonged  defence. 

But  to  fight  on  "  all  fours  "  did  not  chance  to  be  his 
fashion.  It  was  contrary  to  the  traditions  of  his  family 
and  race,  —  all  of  whose  members,  from  time  immemo- 
rial, had  been  accustomed,  when  battling  with  an  enemy, 
to  stand  erect  upon  their  hind-legs. 

Following  this  fashion,  he  had  raised  himself  to  his 
full-  perpendicular,  and  was  about  aiming  a  "butt" 
against  the  breast  of  one  of  the  bearcoots  that  was  tan- 
talizing him  in  front,  when  the  other,  that  had  made  a 
short  retrocession  in  order  to  gain  impetus,  came  swoop- 
in  <>■  back  with  the  velocity  of  an  arrow,  and  seizing  the 
ibex  under  the  chin,  by  a  quick,  strong  jerk  of  its  talons, 
it  struck  the  head  of  the  animal  so  far  backward,  that  it 
lost  its  balance  and  went  toppling  over  the  cliff.  In 
another  instant  the  ibex  was  in  mid-air,  —  foiling, — 
falling, -^  through  that  same  fearful  space  tliat  had  just 
been  traversed  by  his  own  victim. 

The  spectators  looked  to  see  him  strike  the  ground 
without  receiving  further  molestation  from  his  winged 


166  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

assailants.  Not  so,  however,  did  it  result.  Just  as  tlie 
ibex  had  got  about  half-way  down  the  face  of  the  preci- 
pice, the  second  eagle  was  seen  shooting  after  liim  with 
the  velocity  of  a  flash  of  lightning ;  and  before  he  could 
reach  the  ground,  the  bearcoot  was  seen  striking  him 
once  more,  and  causing  him  to  diverge  from  his  vertical 
descent.  The  body  came  to  the  ground  at  length, — 
but  at  a  considerable  distance  from  where  the  other  was 
lying,  —  the  eagle  descending  with  it  to  the  earth,  and 
even  remaining  over  it  with  wings  and  limbs  extended, 
as  if  still  clutching  it  in  his  talons ! 

Why  the  bearcoot  was  thus  retaining  the  ibex  in  his 
clutch  was  not  quite  so  clear :  for  the  animal  was  evi- 
dently dead ;  and  apparently  had  been  so  long  before 
reaching  the  earth.  There  was  something  strange  about 
this  proceeding  on  the  part  of  the  bird,  —  as  there  had 
also  been  in  its  mode  of  descent  through  the  last  forty 
or  fifty  yards  of  space.  From  the  manner  in  which  it 
had  extended  its  wings  after  striking  its  prey,  and  from 
the  way  in  which  it  still  kept  exercising  them,  the  spec- 
tators began  to  think  that  its  singular  descent,  and  its 
remaining  over  the  carcass  in  that  cowermg  attitude, 
were  neither  of  them  voluntary  acts  on  its  part. 

The  truth  was  soon  made  clear,  —  provmg  the  con- 
trary to  be  the  case :  for  as  the  bearcoot  continued  to 
flap  its  wings,  or  rather,  flutter  them  in  a  jiolent,  irregu- 
lar motion,  it  became  evident  that  instead  of  desiring  to 
remain  by  the  fallen  body  of  its  victim,  it  was  doing  its 
very  best  to  get  away  from  it !  This  was  all  the  more 
easily  believed,  when  it  commenced  uttering  a  series  of 
wild  screams ;  not,  as  before,  indicating  rage  or  menace, 
but  in  tones  expressive  of  the  greatest  terror ! 


THE    BEARCOOTS.  1G7 

The  spectators,  who  had  already  risen  from  their  seats, 
rau  towards  the  spot,  —  surmising  that  there  was  some- 
thing amiss. 

On  getting  close  up  to  the  still  screaming  and  flutter- 
ing bird,  they  were  able  to  understand  what  had  ap- 
peared so    incomprehensible. 

They  saw  that  the  bearcoot  was  in  a  dilemma ;  that 
its  talons  were  buried  in  the  body  of  the  ibex,  and  so 
firmly  fixed,  that  with  all  the  strength  of  its  sinewy  legs, 
backed  by  the  power  of  its  elastic  pinions,  it  was  unable 
to  free  itself! 

In  striking  the  ibex  in  his  descent,  the  bird  had  buried 
its  crooked  claws  deeply  into  the  soft  abdomen  of  the 
animal,  but  in  attempting  to  draw  them  out  again,  had 
found,  —  no  doubt,  to  its  great  chagrin,  —  that  the  thick 
coating  of  "  poshm  "  which  covered  the  skin  of  the  ibex, 
had  become  entangled  round  its  shanks ;  and  the  more 
it  fluttered  to  free  itself,  turning  round  and  round  in  the 
efibrt,  the  stronger  and  tighter  became  the  rope  which 
it  was  twisting  out  of  that  celebrated  staple,  —  the 
shawl-wool  of  Cashmere ! 

Beyond  a  doubt,  the  bearcoot  was  in  a  bad  fix ;  and, 
although  it  was  soon  relieved  from  its  tether  of  poshm, 
it  was  only  to  find  itself  more  securely  tied  by  a  stronger 
string  taken  out  of  the  pocket  of  Ossaroo. 

The  other  bearcoot  having  followed  close  after,  seemed 
determined  upon  rescuing  its  mate  out  of  the  hands  of 
its  captors ;  and  uttering  loud  screams,  it  flew,  first  at 
one,  then  at  another  of  them,  —  with  its  long  pointed 
talons  menacing  each  of  them  in  turn. 

As  all  of  them  had  weapons  in  their  hands,  they  suc- 
ceeded in  keeping  tlie  angry  bird  at  bay  ;  but  it  might 


168  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

not  have  fared  so  well  with  Fritz,  —  who,  in  turn,  be- 
came the  object  of  its  furious  attack,  and  who  had  no 
weapon  but  his  teeth. 

These  would  scarce  have  been  sufficient  protection 
against  the  talons  of  an  eagle ;  and  Fritz  would  very- 
likely  have  lost  one  of  his  eyes,  or  perhaps  both  of  them, 
had  it  not  been  for  an  arrow  springing  from  the  bow  of 
the  shikaree ;  which,  transfixing  the  great  bird  right 
through  the  gizzard,  brought  it  down  with  a  "  flop " 
upon  the  surface  of  the  earth. 

It  was  not  killed  outright  by  the  arrow ;  and  the  dog, 
on  seeing  it  bite  the  dust,  would  fain  have  "jumped"  it. 
But,  perceiving  the  strong,  curving  beak,  and  the  sharp 
talons,  extended  towards  him,  Fritz  was  easily  persuaded 
to  remain  at  a  prudent  distance,  and  leave  the  shikaree 
to  make  a  finish  of  the  beai'coot  with  his  long  boar- 
spear. 


A   HOPE    BUILT    UPON    THE    BEARCOOT.  169 


CHAPTER    XXXVI. 

A  HOPE  BUILT  UPON  THE  BEARCOOT. 

In  this  unexpected  supply  of  food,  —  which  might  be 
said  almost  literally  to  have  descended  from  heaven, — 
Kaii  could  not  help  recognizing  the  hand  of  Providence, 
and  pointing  it  out  to  his  companions.  Even  the  less 
reflecting  mind  of  Caspar,  and  the  half-heathen  heart 
of  the  Hindoo,  were  impressed  with  a  belief  that  some 
other  agency  than  mere  chance  had  befriended  them ; 
and  they  were  only  too  willing  to  join  with  Karl  in  a 
prayerful  expression  of  their  gratitude  to  that  Being, 
who,  although  unseen,  was  with  them  even  in  that  lone 
valley. 

For  a  time  they  stood  contemplating  with  curiosity, 
not  only  the  two  ibex,  but  also  the  eagles,  —  interesting 
on  account  of  the  knowledge  that  all  four  animals  had 
but  lately  been  roaming  freely  beyond  the  boundaries  of 
that  mountain  prison,  —  and  had  just  arrived,  as  it  were, 
from  the  outside  world,  with  which  they  themselves  so 
eagerly  longed  to  hold  communication.  "WHiat  would 
they  not  have  given  to  have  been  each  provided  with  a 
pair  of  wings  like  that  bearcoot,  —  the  one  that  still 
lived  ?  Furnished  in  that  fashion,  they  would  soon  have 
sought  escape  from  the  valley,  —  to  them  a  valley  of  tears, 
—  and  from  the  snowy  mountains  that  surrounded  it. 

Wliile  reflecting  thus,  a  thought  shaped  itself  in  the 
8, 


170  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBEkS. 

mind  of  the  pliilosopliic  Karl,  which  caused  liis  face  to 
brighten  up  a  little.  Only  a  little :  for  the  idea  which 
had  occurred  to  him  was  not  one  of  the  brightest. 
There  was  something  in  it,  however  ;  and,  as  the  drown- 
ing man  will  clutch  even  at  straws,  Karl  caught  at  a 
singular  conception,  and  after  examining  it  a  while,  com- 
municated it  to  the  others. 

It  was  the  bearcoot  that  had  brought  forth  this  con- 
ception. The  bird  was  a  true  eagle,  strong  of  wing  and 
muscle  like  all  of  his  tribe,  and  one  of  the  strongest  of 
the  genus.  Like  an  arrow,  he  could  fly  straight  up 
towards  the  sky.  In  a  few  minutes,  —  ay,  in  a  few 
seconds,  —  he  could  easily  shoot  up  to  the  summits  of 
the  snowy  mountains  that  towered  above  them. 

"  Wliat  is  to  hinder  him  ?  "  asked  Karl,  pointnig  to 
the  bird,  "  to  carry  —  " 

"  To  carry  what  ?  "  said  Caspar,  interrupting  the  in- 
terrogation of  his  brother,  who  spoke  in  a  hesitating  and 
doubtful  manner.  "  Not  us,  Kai-l  ?  "  continued  he,  with 
a  slight  touch  of  jocularity  in  his  manner,  —  "  you  don't 
mean  that,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"  Not  us,"  gravely  repeated  Karl,  "  but  a  rope  that 
may  carry  us." 

"  Ha ! "  exclaimed  Caspar,  a  gleam  of  joy  over- 
spreading his  face  as  he  spoke.  There  's  something  in 
that." 

Ossaroo,  equally  interested  in  the  dialogue,  at  the 
same  moment  gave  utterance  to  a  joyous  ejaculation. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  it,  shikaree  ?  "  inquired  Karl, 
speaking  in  a  serious  tone. 

The  reply  of  Ossaroo  did  not  bespeak  any  very  san- 
guine hope  on  his  part.     Still  he  was  ready  to  counsel 


A    HOPK    BUILT    UPON    THE    BEARCOOT.  171 

a  trial  ef  the  scheme.  They  could  try  it  withoiit  any 
great  trouble.  It  would  only  need  to  spin  some  more 
rope  from  the  hemp,  —  of  which  tliey  had  plenty,  — 
attach  it  to  the  leg  of  the  bearcoot,  and  give  the  bird  its 
freedom.  There  was  no  question  as  to  the  direction  tlie 
eagle  would  take.  He  had  already  had  enough  of  the 
valley  ;  and  would  no  doubt  make  to  get  out  of  it  at  the 
very  first  fliglit  he  should  be  permitted  to  make. 

The  sclieme  superficially  considered  appeared  plausi- 
ble enough  ;  but  as  its  details  were  subjected  to  a  more 
rigorous  examination,  two  grand  difficulties  presented 
themselves,  —  so  grand  that  they  almost  obliterated  the 
hope,  so  suddenly,  and  with  too  much  facUity,  conceived. 

The  first  of  these  difficulties  was,  that  the  bearcoot, 
notwithstanding  his  great  strengh  of  wing,  might  not  be 
able  to  carry  up  a  rope  which  would  be  strong  enough 
to  carry  one  of  themselves.  A  cord  he  miglit  easily 
take  to  the  top  of  the  cliff,  or  even  far  beyond ;  but  a 
mere  cord,  or  even  a  very  slender  rope,  would  be  of  no 
use.  It  would  need  one  strong  enough  to  support  the 
body  of  a  man,  —  and  that,  too,  while  engaged  in  the 
violent  exertion  of  climbing.  The  rope  would  requii^e 
to  be  of  great  length,  -—  two  hundred  yards  or  more  ; 
and  every  yard  would  add  to  the  weight  the  eagle  would 
be  required  to  carry  up. 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  they  intended  to 
"  swarm  "  up  this  rope  hand  by  hand.  For  the  height 
of  a  dozen  yards  or  so,  any  of  them  could  have  accom- 
plished that.  But  there  would  be  a  hundred  and  fifty 
yards  of  "  swarming "  to  be  done  before  they  could  set 
foot  upon  the  top  of  the  cliff;  and  the  smartest  sailor 
that  ever  crawled  up  a  mainstay,  —  even  Sinbad  himself, 


172        .  THE    CLIFF-CLIllBERS. 

—  could  not  have  done  half  the  distance.  They  had 
foreseen  this  difficulty  from  the  very  first ;  and  the  in- 
genuity of  Karl  had  at  once  provided  a  remedy  for  it,  — 
as  will  be  seen  in  the  sequel. 

The  second  question  that  presented  itself  was,  —  ad- 
mitting that  the  bearcoot  might  bear  up  a  rope  stout 
enough  for  the  purpose,  whether  there  would  be  any 
possibility  of  getting  this  rope  stayed  at  the  top  ? 

Of  course,  they  could  do  nothing  of  themselves  ;  and 
that  point  would  be  a  matter  of  mere  chance.  There 
was  a  chance,  —  all  acknowledged  tliat.  The  bird,  in 
fluttering  over  the  mountain  to  make  its  escape,  might 
entangle  the  rope  around  a  rock,  or  some  sharp  angle  of 
the  frozen  snow.  There  was  a  chance,  which  could  be 
determined  by  trying,  and  only  by  trying;  and  there 
were  certain  probabilities  in  favor  of  success. 

The  first  difficulty,  —  that  relating  to  the  strength 
and  weight  of  the  rope,  —  admitted  of  rational  discussion 
and  calculation.  There  were  data  to  go  upon,  and  oth- 
ers that  might  be  decided  conjecturally,  yet  sufficiently 
near  the  truth  for  all  preliminary  purposes.  They  could 
tell  pretty  nearly  what  stoutness  of  rope  it  would  take 
to  hang  any  one  of  them  ;  and  this  would  be  strong 
enough  to  carry  them  up  the  cliffi  The  strength  of  the 
eagle  miglit  also  be  presumed  pretty  nearly  ;  and  there 
was  no  doubt  but  that  the  bearcoot  would  do  his  very 
best  to  get  out  of  the  valley.  After  the  rough  handling 
he  had  alreadj^  experienced,  he  would  not  require  any 
further  stimulus  to  call  forth  his  very  utmost  exertions. 

On  discussing  the  subject  in  its  diffiirent  bearings,  it 
soon  became  evident  to  all,  that  the  matter  of  supreme 
importance  would  be  the  making  of  the  rope.     Could 


A   HOPE   BUILT    UPON   THE   BEARCOOT.  173 

this  be  manufactured  of  sufficient  fineness  not  to  over- 
burden the  bearcoot,  and  yet  be  strong  enough  to  sus- 
tain the  weight  of  a  man,  the  first  difficulty  would  be 
got  over.  The  rope,  therefore,  should  be  made  with  the 
greatest  care.  Every  fibre  of  it  should  be  of  the  best 
quality  of  hemp,  —  every  strand  twisted  with  a  perfect 
uniformity  of  thickness,  —  every  plait  manipulated  with 
an  exact  accuracy. 

Ossaroo  was  the  man  to  make  such  a  cord.  He  could 
spin  it  with  as  much  evenness  as  a  Manchester  mill. 
There  would  be  no  danger  that  in  a  rope  of  Ossaroo's 
making  the  most  critical  eye  could  detect  either  fault  or 
flaw. 

It  was  finally  determined  on  that  the  rope  should  be 
spun,  —  Ossaroo  acting  as  director,  the  others  becoming 
his  attendants  rather  than  his  assistants. 

Before  proceeding  to  work,  however,  it  was  deemed 
prudent  to  secure  against  a  hungry  day  by  curing  the 
flesh  of  the  brace  of  ibex.  The  dead  bearcoot  was  to  be 
eaten  while  fresh,  and  needed  no  curing. 

And  so  indeed  it  was  eaten,  —  the  bird  of  Jove  fur- 
nishing them  with  a  dinner,  as  that  of  Juno  had  given 
them  a  breakfast ! 


174  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 


CHAPTER    XXXVII. 

THE   LOG   ON   THE   LEG. 

As  soon  as  tliey  had  hung  the  ibex-meat  upon  the 
curing-strings,  and  pegged  out  the  two  skins  for  drying, 
they  turned  their  attention  to  the  making  of  the  rope  by 
which  they  were  to  be  pulled  out  of  their  prison.  By 
good  fortune  they  had  a  large  stock  of  hemp  on  hand 
all  ready  for  twisting.  It  was  a  store  that  had  been 
saved  up  by  Ossaroo,  —  at  the  time  when  he  had  fabri- 
cated his  fish-net ;  and  as  it  had  been  kept  in  a  little  dry 
grotto  of  the  cliff,  it  was  stUl  in  excellent  preservation. 
They  had  also  on  hand  a  very  long  rope,  though,  unfor- 
tunately, not  long  enough  for  their  present  purpose.  It 
was  the  same  which  they  had  used  in  projecting  their 
tree-bridge  across  the  crevasse ;  and  wliich  they  had  long 
ago  unrove  from  its  pulleys,  and  brought  home  to  the 
hut.  This  rope  was  the  exact  thickness  they  would  re- 
quire :  for  anything  of  a  more  slender  gauge  would 
scarcely  be  sufficient  to  support  the  weight  of  a  man's 
body ;  and  considering  the  fearful  risk  they  would  have 
to  run,  while  hanging  by  it  against  the  face  of  such  a 
cliff,  it  was  necessary  to  keep  on  the  safe  side  as  regai'ded 
the  strength  of  the  rope.  They  could  have  made  it  of 
ample  thickness  and  strength,  so  as  to  secure  against  the 
accident  of  its  breaking.  But  then,  on  the  opposite 
hand,  arose  the  difficulty  as  to  the  strength  of  the  eagle's 


THE    LOG    ON    THE    LEG.  175 

"wing.  Should  the  rope  prove  too  heavy  for  the  bearcoot 
to  carry  over  the  top  of  the  cliff,  then  all  the'r  labor 
would  be  in  vain. 

"  Why  not  ascertain  this  fact  before  making  the 
rope  ?  " 

This  was  a  suggestion  of  Karl  himself. 

"  But  how  are  we  to  do  it  ? "  was  the  rejoinder  of 
Caspar. 

"  I  think  we  can  manage  the  matter,"  said  the  bota- 
nist, apparently  busying  his  brain  with  some  profound 
calculation. 

"I  can't  think  of  a  way  myself,"  repUed  Caspar, 
looking  inquiringly  at  his  brother. 

"  I  fancy  I  can,"  said  Karl.  ''  What  is  to  hinder  us 
to  ascertam  the  weight  of  the  rope  before  making  it, 
and  also  decide  as  to  whether  the  bird  can  carry  so 
much  ?  " 

"  But  how  are  you  to  weigh  the  rope  until  it  is  made  ? 
You  know  it 's  the  trouble  of  making  it  we  wish  to  avoid, 
—  that  is,  should  it  prove  useless  afterwards." 

"  0,  as  for  that,"  rejoined  Karl,  "  it  is  not  necessary  to 
have  it  finished  to  find  out  what  weight  it  would  be. 
We  know  pretty  near  the  length  that  will  be  needed, 
and  by  weighing  a  piece  of  that  already  in  our  hands, 
we  can  calculate  for  any  given  length." 

"  You  forget,  brother  Karl,  that  we  have  no  means  of 
weighing,  even  the  smallest  piece.  We  have  neither 
beam,  scales,  nor  weights." 

"  Pooh  !  "  replied  Karl,  with  that  tone  of  confidence 
imparted  by  superior  knowledge.  "  There  's  no  difficulty 
in  obtaining  all  these.  Any  piece  of  straight  stick  be- 
comes a  beam,  when  properly  balanced  ;  and  as  for  scales, 
they  can  be  had  as  readily  as  a  beam." 


176  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

"But  the  weights?"  interrupted  Caspar.  "What 
about  them  ?  Your  beam  and  scales  would  be  useless, 
I  apprehend,  without  proper  weights  ?  I  think  we  should 
be  '  stumped '  for  the  want  of  the  pounds  and  ounces." 

"  I  am  surprised,  Caspar,  you  should  be  so  unreflect- 
ing, and  allow  your  ingenuity  to  be  so  easily  discouraged 
and  thwarted.  I  believe  I  could  make  a  set  of  weights 
under  any  circumstances  in  which  you  might  place  me, 

—  giving  me  only  the  raw  material,  such  as  a  piece  of 
timber  and  plenty  of  stones." 

"  But  how,  brother  ?     Pray,  tell  us  !  " 

"  Why,  in  the  first  place,  I  know  the  weight  of  my 
own  body." 

"  Granted.  But  that  is  only  one  weight ;  how  are  you 
to  get  the  denominations,  —  the  pounds  and  ounces  ?  " 

"  On  the  beam  I  should  construct  I  would  balance  my 
body  against  a  lot  of  stones.  I  should  then  divide  the 
stones  into  two  lots,  and  balance  these  against  one 
another.     I  should  thus  get  the  half  weight  of  my  body, 

—  a  known  quantity,  you  will  recollect.  By  again 
equally  dividing  one  of  the  lots  I  should  find  a  standard 
of  smaller  dimensions  ;  and  so  on,  till  I  had  got  a  weight 
as  small  as  might  be  needed.  By  this  process  I  can  find 
a  pound,  an  ounce,  or  any  amount  required." 

"  Very  true,  brother,"  replied  Caspar,  "  and  very  in- 
genious of  you.  No  doubt  your  plan  would  do,  —  but 
for  one  little  circumstance,  which  you  seem  to  have  over- 
looked." 

"What  is  that?" 

"Are  your  data  quite  correct?"  naively  inquired 
Caspar. 

"  My  data  ! " 


THE   LOG    ON    THE   LEG.  177 

"Yes,  —  the  original  standard  from  which  you  pro- 
pose to  start,  and  on  which  you  would  base  your  calcu- 
lations. I  mean  the  weight  of  your  body.  Do  you  know 
that?" 

"Certainly,"  said  Karl;  "I  am  just  140  pounds 
weight,  —  to  an  ounce." 

"  Ah,  brother,"  replied  Caspar,  with  a  shake  of  the 
head,  expressive  of  doubt,  "you  were  140  pounds  in 
London,  —  I  know  that  myself,  —  and  so  was  I  nearly 
as  much ;  but  you  forget  that  the  fret  and  worry  of  this 
miserable  existence  has  reduced  both  of  us.  Indeed, 
dear  brother,  I  can  see  that  you  are  much  thinner  since 
we  set  out  from  Calcutta ;  and  no  doubt  you  can  per- 
ceive the  like  change  in  me.     Is  it  not  so?" 

Karl  was  forced  to  give  an  affirmative  reply  to  the 
question,  at  the  same  time  that  he  acknowledged  the 
truth  of  his  brother's  statement.  His  data  were  not 
correct.  The  weight  of  his  body,  —  which,  not  bemg  a 
constant  quantity,  is  at  all  times  an  unsafe  standard,  — 
would  not  serve  in  the  present  instance.  The  calcula- 
tion they  desired  to  make  was  of  too  important  a  char- 
acter to  be  based  upon  such  an  untrustworthy  foundation. 
Karl  perceived  this  plainly  enough ;  but  it  did  not  dis- 
courage him  from  prosecuting  his  purpose  to  make  the 
attempt  he  had  proposed. 

"  Well,  brother  ! "  said  he,  looking  smilmgly  towards 
the  latter,  and  apparently  rather  pleased  at  Caspar's 
acuteness ;  "  I  acknowledge  you  have  had  the  better  of 
the  argument  this  time ;  but  that 's  no  reason  why  I 
should  give  up  my  plan.  There  are  many  other  ways 
of  ascertaining  the  weight  of  an  object ;  and  no  doubt 
if  I  were  to  reflect  a  Httle  I  could  hit  upon  one ;  but  as 

8*  L 


178  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

luck  has  it,  we  need  not  trouble  ourselves  further  about 
that  matter.  If  I  mistake  not,  we  have  a  standard  of 
weight  in  our  possession  that  is  just  the  thing  itself." 

"What  standard?"  demanded  Caspar. 

"  One  of  the  leaden  bullets  of  your  own  gun.  They 
are  oimce  buUets,  I  've  heard  you  say  ?  " 

"  They  are  exactly  sixteen  to  the  pound,  and,  there- 
fore, each  of  them  an  ounce.  You  are  right,  Karl,  that 
is  a  standard.     Certainly  it  will  do." 

The  subject  required  no  further  sifting ;  and  without 
delay  they  proceeded  to  ascertain  the  weight  of  two 
hundred  yards  of  rope.  A  balance  was  soon  constructed 
and  adjusted,  as  nicely  as  if  they  had  meant  to  put  gold 
in  the  scale.  Twenty  yards  of  the  rope  already  in  hand 
was  set  against  stones,  —  whose  weight  they  had  already 
determined  by  reduplicating  a  number  of  bullets,  —  and 
its  quantity  ascertained  in  pounds  and  ounces.  Eight 
times  that  gave  one  hundred  and  sixty  yards,  —  the 
probable  amount  of  cord  they  should  require. 

This  being  determined  upon,  the  next  thing  was  to 
find  out  whether  the  eagle  could  carry  such  a  burden 
into  the  sky.  Of  course,  the  bird  would  not  have  the 
whole  of  it  to  carry  at  first,  as  part  would  rest  upon  the 
ground ;  but  should  it  succeed  in  reaching  the  top  of  the 
cliff,  —  even  at  the  lowest  part,  —  there  would  then  be 
the  weight  of  at  least  one  hundred  yards  upon  its  leg ; 
and  if  it  ascended  still  higher,  a  greater  amount  in  pro- 
portion. 

It  was  natural  to  suppose  that  the  bearcoot  in  going 
out  would  choose  the  lowest  part  of  the  precipice, — 
especially  when  feeling  his  flight  impeded  by  the  strange 
attachment  upon  his  leg ;  and  if  this  conjecture  should 


THE    LOG    ON    THE    LEG.  179 

prove  correct,  there  would  be  all  the  less  weight  to  be 
sustamed.  But,  indeed,  by  the  cord  itself  they  could 
guide  the  bearcoot  to  the  lowest  part,  —  since  by  hold- 
ing it  in  their  hands,  they  could  hinder  him  taking  flight 
in  any  other  direction. 

Considering  all  these  circumstances,  and  rather 
cheered  by  the  many  points  that  appeared  to  be  in 
their  favor,  they  proceeded  to  make  trial  of  the  eagle's 
strength. 

It  would  not  take  long  to  decide ;  but,  conscious  of 
the  great  importance  of  the  result,  they  set  about  it  with 
due  deliberation. 

A  log  of  wood  was  procured,  and  chopped  down,  till 
it  was  exactly  the  weight  of  the  rope  to  be  used.  To 
this  the  piece  of  twenty  yards,  —  already  employed  for 
a  different  purpose,  —  was  attached  at  one  end,  —  the 
other  being  tightly  knotted  around  the  shank  of  the 
eagle. 

When  all  was  ready,  the  bird  was  stripped  of  his 
other  fastenings ;  and  then  all  retired  to  a  distance  to 
give  him  space  for  the  free  use  of  his  wings. 

Fancying  himself  no  longer  under  restraint,  the  bear- 
coot  sprang  up  from  the  rock  on  which  he  had  been 
placed  ;  and,  spreading  his  broad  wings,  rose  almost  ver- 
tically into  the  air. 

For  the  first  twenty  yards  he  mounted  with  a  vigor- 
ous velocity ;  and  the  hopes  of  the  spectators  found  ut- 
terance in  joyful  ejaculations. 

Alas !  these  hopes  were  short-lived,  ending  almost  on 

the  instant  of  their  conception.     The  rope,  carried  to 

^its   full   length,  became    suddenly   taut, — jerking   the 

eagle  several  feet  back  towards  the  earth.     At  the  same 


180  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

time  tlie  log  was  lifted  only  a  few  inclies  from  the  ground. 
The  bird  fluttered  a  moment,  taken  aback  by  this  unex- 
pected interruption ;  and,  after  recovering  its  equilibri- 
um, again  essayed  a  second  flight  towards  the  sky. 

Once  more  the  rope  tightened,  —  as  before  raising  the 
log  but  very  little  from  the  ground,  —  while  the  eagle, 
as  if  this  time  expecting  the  pluck,  suffered  less  de- 
rangement of  its  flight  than  on  the  former  occasion. 
For  all  that,  it  was  borne  back,  until  its  anchor  "  touched 
bottom."  Then  after  making  another  upward  effort, 
with  the  like  result,  it  appeared  to  become  convinced  of 
its  inability  to  rise  vertically,  and  directed  its  flight  in  a 
horizontal  line  along  the  cliffs.  The  log  was  jerked 
over  the  ground,  bounding  from  point  to  point,  occasion- 
ally swinging  in  the  air,  but  only  for  a  few  seconds  at  a 
time. 

At  length  the  conviction  forced  itself  upon  the  minds 
of  the  spectators,  —  as  it  seemed  also  to  have  done  upon 
that  of  the  performer,  —  that  to  reach  the  top  of  the 
cliff,  —  with  a  cord  upon  its  leg,  equal  in  weight  to  that 
log,  —  was  more  than  a  bearcoot  could  accomplish. 

In  short,  the  plan  had  proved  a  failure ;  and,  no  longer 
hoping  for  success,  our  adventurers  turned  their  disap- 
pointed looks  upon  each  other,  —  leaving  the  eagle  free 
to  drag  his  wooden  anchor  whithersoever  he  might  wish. 


Ill  slicrt,  llif  )il;iii  had  iii-ovt.il  a  I'ailure. 


FURTHER    EXPERIMENTS.  181 


CHAPTER    XXXVIII. 

FURTHER    EXPERIMENTS. 

The  usual  silence  wliich  succeeds  a  disappointment 
was  for  some  time  preserved  by  the  three  individuals 
who  had  been  spectators  of  the  unsuccessful  attempt  of 
the  eagle.  Caspar  seemed  less  cast  down  than  the 
others  ;  but  why  it  was  so,  neither  of  them  thought  of 
asking  him. 

It  was  not  a  silence  of  very  long  duration,  nor  was 
the  chagrin  that  had  caused  it  of  much  longer  continu- 
ance. Both  were  evanescent  as  the  summer  cloud  that 
for  a  moment  darkens  the  sky,  and  then  glides  off, — 
leaving  it  bright  and  serene  as  ever. 

It  was  to  Caspar  the  party  was  indebted  for  this 
happy  change  of  feeling.  An  idea  had  occurred  to  the 
young  hunter,  —  or  rather  a  new  scheme,  —  which  was 
at  once  communicated  to  his  companions. 

Strictly  speaking,  Caspar's  scheme  could  not  be 
termed  a  new  one.  It  was  only  supplementary  to  that 
already  set  before  them  by  Karl ;  and  the  bearcoot,  as 
before,  was  to  be  the  chief  actor  in  it. 

While  calculating  the  length  of  rope  it  would  take  to 
reach  to  the  top  of  the  cliff,  Caspar  had  already  be- 
thought him  of  a  way  by  which  it  might  be  shortened, 
—  in  other  words,  how  it  might  be  arranged,  that  a 
shorter  rope  would  suffice.     He  had  for  some  time  car- 


182  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

ried  this  idea  in  Ids  mind ;  but  had  declined  communi- 
catiQg  it  to  the  others,  untU  after  witnessing  the  test  of 
the  eagle's  strength.  Now  that  the  bearcoot  had  been 
"  weighed  and  found  wanting,"  you  might  suppose  that 
the  creature  would  be  no  longer  cared  for,  —  excepting 
to  furnish  them  with  a  meal.  This  was  the  reflection 
of  Karl  and  Ossaroo ;  but  Caspar  thought  differently. 
He  was  impressed  with  a  belief  that  the  bird  might  still 
do  them  a  service,  —  the  very  one  which  he  had  under- 
taken so  unsuccessfully. 

Caspar  reflected,  and  very  correctly,  that  it  was  the 
extra  weight  that  had  hindered  the  eagle  from  ascend- 
ing. It  was  not  so  much  beyond  his  strength  neither. 
Perhaps  had  it  been  only  half  as  heavy,  or  even  a  little 
more,  he  might  have  succeeded  in  carrying  it  over  the 
cliff. 

What  if  the  weight  should  be  reduced  ? 

To  make  the  rope  more  slender  did  not  enter  into 
Caspar's  calculations.  He  knew  this  could  not  be 
done :  since  it  was  a  point  already  discussed  and  decided 
upon. 

But  how  if  the  rope  were  to  be  shorter,  than  that 
which  had  been  theoretically  considered  ?  How  if  it 
were  to  be  only  fifty  yards,  instead  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty  ?  Of  course,  then  the  eagle  might  fly  with  it,  to 
whatever  height  its  length  would  allow. 

Caspar  felt  satisfied  of  this  fact ;  nor  did  either  of  the 
others  question  its  truth,  —  but  what  then? 

"  Wliat,"  inquired  Karl,  "  would  be  the  use  of  a  rope 
of  fifty  yards,  though  the  eagle  might  carry  it  up  to  the 
moon  ?  Even  at  the  lowest  part  of  the  cliffs,  —  should 
the  bearcoot  take  one  end  over,  the  other  would  be  fifty 
yards  above  our  heads  ?  " 


FURTHER    EXPERIMENTS.  183 

"  Not  a  yard,  brother,  —  not  a  foot.  The  other  end 
would  be  in  our  hands,  —  m  our  hands,  I  tell  you." 

"  Well,  Caspar,"  calmly  rejoined  the  philosopher, 
"  you  appear  to  be  confident  enough ;  though  I  can't 
guess  what  you  are  driving  at.  You  know  tliis  hideous 
precipice  is  at  no  point  less  than  a  hundred  yards  in 
sheer  height  ?  " 

"  I  do,"  replied  Caspar,  still  speaking  in  the  same  tone 
of  confidence ;  "  but  a  rope  of  only  fifty,  —  ay,  of  not 
more  than  half  that  length,  —  may  be  held  in  our  hands, 
while  the  other  end  is  over  the  top  of  the  cliff." 

Karl  looked  perplexed ;  but  the  sliikaree,  on  this 
occasion  quicker  of  percejition  than  the  philosopher, 
catching  at  Caspar's  meaning,  cried  out: 

"  Ha,  ha  !  young  sahib  meanee  from  top  ob  da  ladder ! 
Dat  meanee  he." 

"  Exactly  so,"  said  Caspar  ;  "  you  've  guessed  right, 
Ossy.     I  mean  just  that  very  thing." 

"  0  then,  uideed,"  said  Karl,  in  a  drawling  tone,  at 
the  same  time  lapsing  into  a  reflective  silence. 

"  Perhaps  you  are  right,  brother,"  he  added,  after  a 
pause.  "  At  all  events,  it  will  be  easy  to  try.  If  your 
scheme  succeed,  we  shall  not  require  to  make  any  more 
cord.  What  we  have  will  be  sufiicient.  Let  us  make 
trial  at  once ! " 

"  Where  is  the  bearcoot  ? "  asked  Caspar,  looking 
around  to  discover  the  bird. 

"  Yonner  he  be,  young  sahib,"  answered  Ossaroo, 
pointing  towards  the  precipice  ;  "  yonner  sitee  he,  — 
ober  da  rock." 

The  eagle  was  perceived,  perched,  or  rather  crouch- 
ing, on  a  low  ledge  of  the  cliff,  —  upon  which  it  had 


184  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

dropped  down  after  its  unsuccessful  attempt  at  flight. 
It  looked  crestfallen,  and  as  if  it  would  suffer  itself  to 
be  caught  by  the  hand.  But  as  Ossaroo  approached  it 
with  this  intention,  the  bird  seemed  to  fancy  itself  free, 
and  once  more  rose,  with  a  bold  swoop,  into  the  air. 

It  was  only  to  feel  the  check-string  tighten  afresh 
upon  his  leg.  It  came  fluttering  down  again,  first  drawn 
back  by  the  weight  of  the  log,  and  afterwards  by  the 
strong  arm  of  the  shikaree. 

The  log  was  now  removed,  and  the  whole  rope  they 
had  on  hand  —  a  length  of  rather  more  than  fifty  yards 
■ — was  knotted  in  its  place. 

The  bearcoot  was  again  set  free,  —  Ossaroo  taking 
care  to  keep  the  leash  well  in  hand ;  and  now  the  beau- 
tiful bird  of  Jove  rose  into  the  air,  as  if  not  the  summit 
of  the  cliff,  but  the  proud  peak  of  Chumulari,  was  to  be 
the  limit  of  its  fiight. 

At  the  height  of  fifty  yards  its  soaring  ambition  was 
suddenly  curbed,  by  the  check-string  of  Ossaroo,  remind- 
ing it  that  it  was  still  a  captive. 

The  experiment  had  proved  successful.  Caspar's  plan 
promised  well ;  and  they  at  once  proceeded  to  take  the 
necessary  steps  for  carrying  it  into  practical  effect. 


THE  eagle's  escape.  185 


CHAPTER    XXXIX. 

THE    eagle's    escape. 

The  first  thing  to  be  done,  was  to  look  to  the  quality 
of  the  rope,  and  test  its  strength.  The  ladders  were 
already  in  j^lace,  just  as  they  had  been  left.  The  rope 
once  proved,  there  would  be  nothing  further  to  do  but 
make  it  secure  to  the  shank  of  the-bearcoot,  ascend  the 
cliff  to  the  highest  ledge  reached  by  the  ladders,  and 
then  fly  the  bird. 

Should  they  succeed  in  getting  the  creature  to  go  over 
the  cliff,  and  by  some  means  entangle  the  cord  at  the  top, 
they  might  consider  themselves  free.  The  very  thought 
of  such  a  result  —  now  apparently  certain  —  once  more 
raised  their  spirits  to  the  liighest  pitch. 

They  did  not  count  on  being  able  to  "  swarm  "  up  a 
piece  of  slender  cord  of  nearly  fifty  yards  in  length,  — 
a  feat  that  would  have  baflled  the  most  agUe  tar  that 
ever  "  slung  the  monkey  "  from  a  topgallant  stay.  They 
had  no  thoughts  of  climbing  the  rope  in  that  way  ;  but 
in  another,  long  before  conceived  and  discussed.  They 
intended  —  once  they  should  be  assured  that  the  cord 
was  secure  above  —  to  make  steps  upon  it,  by  inserting 
little  pieces  of  wood  between  the  "  strands  " ;  and  these, 
which  they  could  fix  at  long  distances,  one  after  the 
other,  would  form  supports,  upon  which  they  might  rest 
their  feet  in  the  ascent. 


186  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

As  we  have  said,  all  tliis  had  been  settled  beforehand, 
and  no  longer  occujiied  their  attention,  —  now  wholly 
absorbed  in  contriving  some  way  to  prove  the  reliability 
of  the  ro]3e,  upon  which  their  Uves  were  about  to  be  im- 
perilled. 

It  was  not  deemed  sufficient  to  tie  the  rope  to  a  tree, 
and  pull  upon  it  with  all  their  united  strength.  Karl 
and  Caspar  thought  this  would  be  a  sufficient  test ;  but 
Ossaroo  was  of  a  different  opinion.  A  better  plan  — 
according  to  the  shikaree's  way  of  thinking  —  was  one 
which  had  generated  in  his  Oriental  brain ;  and  which, 
without  heeding  the  remonstrances  of  the  others,  he  pro- 
ceeded to  make  trial  of.  Taking  one  end  of  the  rope 
with  him,  he  climbed  into  a  tall  tree ;  and,  after  getting 
some  way  out  on  a  horizontal  branch,  —  full  fifty  feet 
from  the  ground,  —  he  there  fastened  the  cord  securely. 
By  his  directions  the  young  sahibs  laid  hold  below ;  and, 
both  together,  raising  their  feet  from  the  ground,  re- 
mained for  some  seconds  susjiended  in  the  air. 

As  the  rope  showed  no  symptoms  either  of  stretching 
or  breaking  under  the  weight  of  both,  it  was  evident  that 
it  might,  under  any  circumstances,  be  trusted  to  carry 
the  weight  of  one ;  and  in  this  confidence,  the  shikaree 
descended  from  the  tree. 

With  the  eagle  carried  under  his  right  arm,  and  the 
coil  of  rope  swinging  over  his  left.  Ossaroo  now  pro- 
ceeded towards  the  place  where  the  ladders  rested 
against  the  cliff.  Karl  and  Caspar  walked  close  after, 
with  Fritz  following  in  the  rear,  —  all  four  moving  in 
silence,  and  with  a  certain  solemnity  of  look  and  gesture, 
as  befitted  the  important  business  upon  which  they  were 
bent. 


THE  eagle's  escape.  187 

The  new  experiment,  like  the  trial  of  the  eagle's 
strength,  did  not  occupy  any  great  length  of  time.  Had 
it  proved  successful,  our  adventurers  would  have  been 
longer  occupied,  and  in  the  end  would  have  been  seen 
triumphantly  standing  upon  the  summit  of  the  cliff,  with 
Fritz  frisking  up  the  snowy  slope  beyond,  as  if  he  in- 
tended to  chase  the  great  ovis  ammon  upon  the  heaven- 
kissing  crest  of  Chumulari. 

Ah !  how  different  was  the  spectacle  presented  on  the 
evening  of  that  eventful  day  !  A  little  before  sunset  the 
three  adventurers  were  seen  slowly  and  sadly  returning 
to  their  hut,  —  that  despised  hovel,  under  whose  homely 
roof  they  had  hoped  never  to  seek  shelter  again ! 

Alas !  in  the  now  lengthened  list  of  their  unsuccessful 
struggles,  they  had  once  more  to  record  a  failure ! 

Ossaroo,  bearing  the  beai'coot  mider  his  arm,  had 
climbed  the  ladders  up  to  the  highest  ledge  that  could 
be  attained.  From  it  he  had  "  flown "  the  eagle,  — 
freely  dealing  out  all  the  cord  in  his  possession.  That 
was  a  perilous  experiment  for  the  shikaree  to  make ; 
and  came  very  near  proving  the  last  act  hi  the  drama  of 
his  life. 

Thinking  that  the  bearcoot  would  rise  upward  into 
the  air,  he  had  not  thought  of  anything  else ;  and  as  he 
stood  balancing  himself  on  that  narrow  shelf,  he  was  but 
ill  prepared  for  what  actually  came  to  pass.  Instead  of 
soaring  upwards,  the  eagle  struck  out  in  a  horizontal 
direction,  not  changmg  its  course  till  it  had  reached  the 
end  of  its  tether ;  and  then  not  changing  it,  nor  even 
pausing  in  its  flight,  but  with  the  fifty  yards  of  rope 
trailing  behmd  it,  —  which,  fortunately  for  Ossaroo,  he 
was  himself  no  longer  at  the  end  of,  —  it  continued  on 


188  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

across  the  valley  towards  the  cliffs  on  the  opposite  side, 
the  summit  of  which  it  would  have  no  difficulty  in  attain- 
ing by  following  the  diagonal  line  in  which  it  was 
making  that  unexpected  escape  from  the  clutches  of  the 
shikaree. 

Not  without  chagrin  did  Karl  and  Caspar  behold  the 
spectacle  of  the  bearcoot's  departure ;  and  for  a  while 
they  were  under  the  impression  that  Ossaroo  had  bun- 
gled the  business  with  which  he  had  been  intrusted. 

Ossaroo's  explanations,  however,  were  soon  after  re- 
ceived, and  proved  satisfactory.  It  was  evident  from 
these,  that,  had  he  not  let  go  in  the  right  time,  he  would 
have  been  compelled  to  make  a  leap,  that  would  have 
left  him  no  opportunity  for  explaining  the  nature  of  the 
eagle's  escape. 


nUTZ    AND    THE    FALCONS.  189 


CHAPTER    XL. 


FRITZ    AND    THE    FALCONS. 


"With  feelings  of  sad  and  bitter  disappointment  did 
our  adventurers  turn  their  backs  upon  those  ladders,  — 
that  had  once  more  deluded  them,  —  and  make  their  way 
towards  the  hut. 

As  upon  the  former  occasion,  they  walked  with  slow 
steps  and  downcast  mien.  Fritz,  by  his  slouching  gait 
and  drooped  tail,  showed  that  he  shared  the  general 
despondency. 

They  had  arrived  nearly  at  the  hut  before  any  of  the 
three  thought  of  speaking ;  when  the  sight  of  that  rude 
homestead,  to  which  they  had  so  often  fancied  themselves 
on  the  eve  of  bidding  farewell,  —  and  to  which  as  often 
had  they  been  compelled  to  return,  —  suggested  a  theme 
to  Karl :  causing  him  to  break  silence,  as  they  advanced 
towards  the  doorway. 

"  Our  true  friend,"  said  he,  pointing  to  the  hovel,  "  a 
friend,  when  all  else  fails  us.  Rough  it  is,  — like  many 
a  friend  that  is  nevertheless  worthy.  I  begin  to  like  its 
honest  look,  and  feel  regard  for  it  as  one  should  for  a 
home." 

Caspar  said  nothing  in  reply.  He  only  sighed.  The 
young  chamois-hunter  of  the  Bavarian  Alps  thought  of 
another  home,  —  far  away  towards  the  setting  sun ;  and, 
60  long  as  that  thought  was  in  his  mind,  he  could  never 


190  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

reconcile  himself  to  a  forced  residence  in  the  Hima- 
layas. 

The  thoughts  of  Ossaroo  were  equally  absent  from 
that  spot.  He  was  tliiiiking  of  a  bamboo  hut  by  the 
borders  of  some  crystal  stream,  overshadowed  by  palms 
and  other  tropical  trees.  He  was  thinking  still  more  of 
rice  curry  and  chutnee ;  but  above  all,  of  his  beloved 
"  betel,"  for  which  the  "  bang "  of  the  cannabis  saliva 
was  but  a  poor  substitute. 

But  Caspar  had  another  thought  in  his  mind ;  one 
which  proved  that  he  had  not  yet  abandoned  all  hope  of 
returning  to  the  home  of  his  nativity ;  and,  after  they 
had  finished  eating  their  supper  of  bi'oiled  venison,  he 
gave  utterance  to  it. 

He  had  not  volunteered  to  break  the  silence.  It  was 
done  in  obedience  to  a  request  of  Karl ;  who,  having 
noticed  the  abstracted  air  of  his  brother,  had  asked  for 
an  explanation. 

"I've  been  tliinking,"  said  Caspar,  "ever  since  the 
eagle  has  escaped  us,  of  another  bird  I  know  something 
about,  —  one  that  might  perform  the  service  we  want 
quite  as  well,  if  not  better,  than  a  bearcoot." 

"  Another  bird !  "  inquired  Karl ;  "  of  what  bird  are 
you  speaking?  Do  you  mean  one  of  those  Brahminy 
geese  upon  the  lake  ?  We  might  catch  one  alive,  it  is 
true ;  but  let  me  tell  you,  brother,  that  their  wings  are 
constructed  just  strong  enough  to  carry  their  own  pon- 
derous bodies ;  and  if  you  added  another  pound  or  two, 
by  tying  a  cord  to  their  legs,  they  could  no  more  mount 
out  of  this  valley  than  we  can.  No,  —  no.  I  fancy  we 
may  as  well  give  up  that  idea.  There  's  no  bird  but  an 
eagle  with  wing  strong  enough  to  do  what  yoii  wish." 


'  FRITZ  AND  THE  FALCONS.  191 

"  Tlie  bird  I  was  thinking  of,"  rejoined  Caspar,  "  is  of 
the  same  genus  as  the  eagle.  I  believe  that's  correctly 
scientific  language.  Is  n't  it,  my  BufFon  of  a  brother  ? 
Ha!  ha!  Well,  shall  I  name  it?  Surely,  you  have 
already  divined  the  sort  of  bird  to  wliich  I  allude  ?  " 

"  No,  indeed,"  replied  Karl.  "  There  are  no  other 
birds  in  this  valley  of  the  same  genus  as  the  eagle, — 
except  hawks ;  and  according  to  the  closet  naturalists, 
they  are  not  of  the  same  genus,  —  only  of  the  same 
family.  K  you  mean  a  hawk,  there  are  several  species 
in  this  place ;  but  the  largest  of  them  could  not  carry 
anything  over  the  cliff  heavier  than  a  string  of  twine. 
See,  there 's  a  brace  of  them  now ! "  continued  Karl, 
pointing  to  two  birds  that  were  circling  in  the  air,  some 
twenty  yards  overhead.  " '  Churk '  falcons  they  are 
called.  They  are  the  largest  of  the  Himalayan  hawks. 
Are  these  your  birds,  brother  ?  " 

"  A  couple  of  kites,  are  they  not  ?  "  interrogated  Cas- 
par, turning  his  eyes  upward,  and  regarding  the  two 
wuiged  creatures  circling  above,  and  quartering  the  air 
as  if  in  search  of  pi'ey. 

"Yes,"  answered  the  naturalist,  "they  are  of  that 
species ;  and,  correctly  described,  of  the  same  genus  as 
the  eagles.     You  don't  mean  them,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"  No,  —  not  exactly,"  replied  Caspar,  in  a  drawling 
tone,  and  smiling  significantly  as  he  spoke  ;  "  but  if  tliey 
be  kites —  Ho  !  what  now?"  exclaimed  the  speaker,  his 
train  of  thought,  as  well  as  speech,  suddenly  interrupted 
by  a  movement  on  the  part  of  the  falcons.  "  Wliat  the 
mischief  are  the  birds  about  ?  As  I  live,  they  seem  to 
be  making  an  attack  upon  Fritz !  Surely  they  don't 
suppose  they  have  the  strength  to  do  any  damage  to  our 
brave  old  dos:  ?  " 


192  THE    CLIFF-CLIJIBERS. 

As  Caspar  spoke,  the  two  falcons  were  seen  suddenly 
to  descend,  —  from  the  elevation  at  wliich  they  had 
been  soaring,  —  and  then  sweep  m  quick  short  circles 
around  the  head  of  the  Bavarian  boarhound,  —  where 
he  squatted  on  the  ground,  near  a  little  copse,  some 
twenty  yards  from  the  hut. 

"  Perhaps  their  nest  is  there,  —  in  the  copse  ?  "  sug- 
gested Karl ;  "  that 's  why  they  are  angry  with  the  dog  : 
for  angry  they  certainly  appear  to  be." 

So  any  one  might  have  reasoned,  from  the  behavior 
of  the  birds,  as  they  continued  their  attack  upon  the 
dog,  —  now  rising  some  feet  above  him,  and  then  dart- 
ing downward  in  a  sort  of  parabolic  curve,  —  at  each 
swoop  drawing  nearer  and  nearer,  until  the  tips  of  their 
wings  were  almost  flapped  in  his  face.  These  move- 
ments were  not  made  in  silence :  for  the  falcons,  as  they 
flew,  kept  uttering  their  shrill  cries,  —  that  sounded  like 
the  voice  of  a  pair  of  angry  vixens. 

"  Their  young  must  be  near  ?  "  suggested  Kai'l. 

"No,  sahib,"  said  Ossaroo,  "no  nest,  —  no  cliickee. 
Fritz  he  hab  suppa,  —  de  piece  ob  meat  ob  da  ibex. 
Churk  wantee  take  de  dog  suppa  away." 

"  Oh !  Fritz  is  eatmg  something,  is  he  ?  "  said  Caspar. 
"  That  explains  it  then.  How  very  stupid  of  these  birds, 
to  fancy  they  could  steal  liis  supper  from  our  vahant 
Fritz :  more  especially  since  he  seems  to  relish  it  so 
much  liimself!     Why,  he  takes  no  notice  of  them!" 

It  was  quite  true  that  Fritz,  up  to  this  time,  had 
scai'cely  noticed  the  brace  of  winged  assailants ;  and 
their  hostile  demonstrations  had  only  drawn  from  him 
an  occasional  "  yir."  As  they  swooped  nearer,  however, 
and  the  tips  of  their  wings  were  "  wopped "  into  his 


FRITZ  AND  THE  FALCONS.  193 

very  eyes,  the  thing  was  growing  unbearable ;  and  Fritz 
began  to  lose  temper.  His  "  yirs "  became  more  fre- 
quent ;  and  once  or  twice  he  rose  from  his  squatting 
attitude,  and  made  a  snap  at  the  feathers  that  were 
nearest. 

For  more  than  five  minutes  this  curious  play  was  kept 
up  between  the  boarhound  and  the  birds ;  and  then  the 
episode  was  brought  to  a  somewhat  singular  and  —  in 
Fritz's  estimation,  no  doubt  —  a  very  impleasant  termi- 
nation. 

From  the  first  commencement  of  their  attack,  the  two 
falcons  had  followed  a  separate  course  of  action.  One 
appeared  to  make  all  its  approaches  from  the  front; 
while  the  other  confined  its  attacks  exclusively  to  Fritz's 
rear.  In  consequence  of  these  tactics  on  the  part  of  his 
assailants,  the  dog  was  compelled  to  defend  himself  both 
before  and  behind ;  and  to  do  this,  it  became  necessary 
for  him  to  look  "  two  ways  at  once."  Now,  he  would 
snarl  and  snap  at  the  assailant  in  front,  —  anon,  he  must 
slew  himself  round,  and  in  like  manner  menace  the  more 
cowardly  "  churk  "  that  was  attacking  him  in  the  rear. 
Of  the  two,  however,  the  latter  was  the  more  demon- 
strative and  noisy  ;  and  at  length,  not  content  with  giv- 
ing Fritz  an  occasional  "  wop  "  with  its  wing,  it  had  the 
daring  audacity  to  strike  its  sharp  talons  into  a  part  of 
his  posteriors  approximate  to  the  seat  of  honor. 

This  was  something  more  than  canine  flesh  and  blood 
could  bear ;  and  Fritz  determined  not  to  submit  to  it 
any  longer.  Dropping  the  "  quid  "  he  had  been  chew- 
ing, he  started  up  on  all  fours ;  wheeled  suddenly  to- 
wards the  kite  that  had  clawed  him ;  and  bounded  aloft 
into  the  air  with  the  design  of  clutching  it. 

9  u 


194  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

But  the  wary  bird  had  foreseen  this  action  on  the  part 
of  the  quadruped ;  and,  ere  the  latter  could  lay  a  fang 
upon  it,  had  soared  off,  —  far  beyond  the  highest  leap 
that  any  four-footed  creature  might  accomplish. 

Fritz,  with  a  disappointed  growl,  turned  round  again 
to  betake  himself  to  his  piece  of  meat ;  but  still  more 
disappointed  was  his  look,  when  he  perceived  that  the 
latter  was  no  longer  within  reach !  Churk  falcon  number 
one  had  clawed  him  over  the  croup,  but  churk  falcon 
number  two  had  deprived  him  of  his  supper ! 

The  last  look  Fritz  ever  had  of  that  piece  of  ibex 
venison  was  seeing  it  in  the  beak  of  the  bird,  high  up  in 
air,  growing  smaller  by  degrees  and  beautifully  less,  — 
until  it  disappeared  altogether  in  the  dim  distance. 


FRITZ    OFFENDED.  195 


CHAPTER    XLI. 


FRITZ    OFFENDED. 


This  odd  little  episode,  between  the  boarhound  and 
the  churk  falcons,  had  interrupted  the  conversation  of 
the  two  brothers  on  the  subject  which  Caspar  had  intro- 
duced. Nor  was  it  resumed  immediately,  on  the  ter- 
mination of  the  affair :  for  the  look  with  which  Fritz 
regarded  the  departure  of  the  bird,  that  had  so  adroitly 
bilked  him  out  of  his  bit  of  venison,  was  so  supremely 
ludicrous,  as  to  elicit  long,  loud  peals  of  laughter  from 
the  spectators. 

Fritz's  "  countenance  "  betrayed  the  presence  of  rare 
emotions.  Profound  surprise  and  chagrin  —  strongly 
blended  with  a  feeling  of  concentrated  I'age  —  were  visi- 
ble not  only  in  his  eyes,  but  his  attitude,  and,  for  some 
time,  he  stood  with  head  erect  and  muzzle  high  in  air, 
his  glances  speaking  unutterable  vows  of  vengeance,  as 
they  followed  the  flight  of  the  falcons. 

Never  in  all  his  hfe  —  not  even  when  the  trunk  of 
the  elephant  was  trumpeting  at  his  tail  —  had  Fritz  so 
sensibly  felt  the  want  of  wings.  Never  had  he  so  re- 
gi'etted  the  deficiency  in  his  structure  that  left  him  with- 
out those  useful  appendages  ;  and  had  he  been  gifted 
with  the  "  wand  of  a  fairy,"  the  use  to  which  he  would 
at  that  moment  have  applied  it  would  have  been  to  fur- 
nish himself  with  a  pair,  not  of  "  beautiful  wings  "  —  for 


196  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

that  was  a  secondary  consideration,  —  but  of  strong  and 
long  ones,  such  as  would  have  enabled  him  to  overhaul 
those  churk  falcons,  and  punish  them  for  their  unheard- 
of  audacity. 

For  more  than  a  minute  Fritz  preserved  the  attitude 
to  which  we  have  alluded :  the  demeanor  of  a  dog  that 
had  been  regularly  duped  and  "  sold "  by  a  brace  of 
beings,  for  whose  strength  and  capacity  he  had  exhibited 
supreme  contempt ;  and  it  was  this  mingling  of  surprise 
and  rage  that  imparted  to  him  that  serio-comic  appear- 
ance that  had  set  them  all  a-laughing.  Nor  was  his 
countenance  less  ludicrous  under  the  expression  with 
which,  on  turning  round,  he  regarded  his  trio  of  human 
companions.  He  saw  that  they  were  making  merry  at 
his  expense  ;  and  his  look  of  half-reproach,  half-appeal 
had  no  other  eifect  than  to  redouble  their  mirth.  Glan- 
cing from  one  to  the  other,  he  appeared  to  seek  sympa- 
thy from  each  in  turn,  —  from  Karl,  Caspar,  and  Ossaroo. 

It  was  an  idle  appeal.  All  three  had  equally  sur- 
rendered themselves  to  hilarity,  —  unsympathetic,  as  it 
was  uncontrollable.  Fritz  had  not  a  friend  on  the 
ground. 

Full  ten  minutes  must  have  elapsed  before  any  of 
them  could  check  his  loud  cachinnations ;  but  long 
before  that  time,  the  butt  of  their  ridicule  had  betaken 
himself  out  of  sight,  —  having  moved  away  from  the 
spot,  where  he  had  been  robbed  of  his  supper,  and  re- 
tired, with  an  offended  and  sneaking  air,  to  the  more 
friendly  concealment  of  the  hovel. 

It  was  some  time  before  our  adventurers  could  re- 
cover their  serious  mood  ;  but  the  subject  of  their  mirth 
being  now  out  of  their  sight,  went  gradually  also  out  of 
their  minds. 


FRITZ    OFFENDED.  197 

It  might  be  wondered  that,  circumstanced  as  they 
were,  they  had  thus  given  way  to  a  fit  of  joHity.  But, 
indeed,  there  was  nothing  wonderful  about  it.  On  the 
contrary,  it  was  perfectly  natural  —  perfectly  true  to  the 
instincts  of  the  human  soul  —  to  be  thus  stirred ;  joy 
and  sorrow  following  each  other  in  periodic  succession, 

—  as  certainly  as  day  follows  night,  or  fair  weather  suc- 
ceeds to  the  storm. 

Though  we  know  not  the  why  and  the  wherefore  of 

this,  we  can  easily  believe  that  a  wise  Providence  has 

ordered   it   so.     A   poet   who   has  sung  sweetly  says, 

that 

"  Spring  would  be  but  gloomy  weather, 
If  we  had  nothhig  else  but  spring"; 

and  our  own  experience  proclaims  the  truth  conveyed 
in  the  distich. 

He  who  has  lived  in  the  tropical  lands  of  ever-spring, 

—  where  the  leaves  never  fall,  and  the  flowers  never 
fade,  —  can  well  confirm  the  fact :  that  even  spring  it- 
self may  in  time  become  tiresome  !  "We  long  for  the 
winter,  —  its  frost  and  snow,  and  cold,  bitter  winds. 
Though  ever  so  enamored  of  the  gay  green  forest,  we 
like  at  intervals  to  behold  it  in  its  russet  garb,  with  the 
sky  in  its  coat  of  gray,  sombre,  but  picturesque.  Strange 
as  it  may  appear,  it  is  true  :  the  moral,  like  the  natural 
atmosphere,  stands  in  need  of  the  storm ! 


198  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 


CHAPTER    XLII. 

A  kite! 

As  soon  as  their  mirth  had  fairly  subsided,  Karl  and 
Caspar  resumed  the  conversation,  which  had  been  broken 
off  so  abrujjtly. 

"  And  so,  brother,"  said  Karl,  who  was  the  first  to  re- 
turn to  the  subject,  "  you  say  there  is  a  bird  of  the  eagle 
genus,  that  might  carry  a  rope  over  the  cliff  for  us.  Of 
what  bird  are  you  speaking  ?  " 

"  Why,  Karl,  you  are  dull  of  comprehension  this  morn- 
ing. Surely  the  presence  of  the  two  kites  should  have 
suggested  what  I  mean." 

"  Ha !  you  mean  a  kite,  then  ?  " 

"  Yes,  one  with  a  very  broad  breast,  a  very  thin  body, 
and  a  very  long  tail :  such  as  you  and  I  used  to  make  not 
so  many  years  ago." 

"  A  paper  kite"  said  Karl,  repeating  the  phrase  me- 
chanically, at  the  same  time  settling  down  into  a  reflect- 
ing attitude.  "  True,  brother,"  he  added,  after  a  pause, 
"  there  might  be  something  in  what  you  have  suggested. 
If  we  had  a  paper  kite  —  that  is,  a  very  large  one  —  it  is 
possible  it  would  carry  a  rojie  over  the  summit  of  the 
cliff;  but  alas  !  —  " 

"  You  need  not  proceed  further,  Karl,"  said  Caspar, 
interrupting  him.  "  T  know  what  you  are  going  to  say: 
that  we  have  no  paper  out  of  which  to  make  the  kite ; 


A  kite!  199 

and  that,  of  course,  puts  an  end  to  the  matter.  It 's  no 
use  our  thinking  any  more  about  it,  since  we  have  not 
got  the  materials.  The  body  and  bones  we  could  easily 
construct ;  and  the  tail  too.  But  then  the  wings,  — 
ah,  the  wings.  I  only  wish  we  had  a  file  of  old  news- 
paj^ers.    But  what 's  the  use  of  wishing  ?    We  have  n't." 

Karl,  though  silent,  did  not  seem  to  hear,  or  at  all 
events  heed,  what  Caspar  had  been  just  saying.  He 
appeared  to  be  buried  either  in  a  reverie,  or  in  some 
profound  speculation. 

It  was  the  latter,  as  was  very  soon  after  made  manifest 
by  his  speech. 

"  Perhaps,"  said  he,  with  a  hopeful  glance  towards  the 
wood,  "  we  may  not  be  so  deficient  in  the  material  of 
which  you  have  spoken." 

"  Of  paper,  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  We  are  in  the  very  region  of  the  world  where  it 
grows,"  continued  Karl,  without  heeding  the  interro- 
gation. 

"  What !  where  paper  grows  ?  " 

"  No,"  replied  Karl,  "  I  do  not  mean  that  the  paper 
itself  grows  here ;  but  a  '  fabric '  out  of  which  that 
useful  article  may  be  made." 

«  Wliat  is  that,  brother  ?  " 

"  It  is  a  tree,  or  rather  a  shrub,  belonging  to  the  order 
of  the  Thymelacece,  or  "  Daphnads."  The  plants  of  this 
order  are  found  in  many  countries;  but  chiefly  in  the 
cooler  regions  of  India  and  South  America.  There  are 
even  representatives  of  the  order  in  England:  for  the 
beautiful  "  spurge  laurel "  of  the  woods  and  hedges  — 
known  as  a  remedy  for  the  toothache  —  is  a  true  daph- 
nad.     Perhaps  the  most  curious  of  all  the  Thyraelaceae 


200  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

is  the  celebrated  Lagetta,  or  lace-bark  tree  of  Jamaica ; 
out  of  which  the  ladies  of  that  island  know  how  to  manu- 
facture cuffs,  collars,  and  berthas,  that,  when  cut  into 
the  proper  shapes,  and  bleached  to  a  perfect  whiteness, 
have  all  the  appearance  of  real  lace  !  The  Maroons,  and 
other  runaway  negroes  of  Jamaica,  before  the  abolition 
of  slavery,  used  to  make  clothing  out  of  the  lagetta, 
which  they  found  growing  in  plenty  in  the  mountain 
forests  of  the  island.  Previous  also  to  the  same  abo- 
lition of  slavery,  there  was  another,  and  less  gentle,  use 
made  of  the  lace-bark,  by  the  masters  of  these  same 
negroes.  The  cruel  tyrants  used  to  spin  its  tough  fibres 
into  thongs  for  their  slave-whips." 

"  And  you  think  that  paper  can  be  made  out  of  these 
trees  ?  "  asked  Caspar,  impatient  to  know  whether  there 
might  be  any  chance  of  procuring  some  for  the  covering 
of  a  kite. 

"  There  are  several  species  of  daphnads,"  replied  the 
botanist,  "whose  bark  can  be  converted  into  paper. 
Some  are  found  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and  others 
in  the  island  of  Madagascar ;  but  the  best  kinds  for  the 
purpose  grow  in  these  very  mountains,  and  in  China. 
There  is  the  '  Daphne  Bholua,'  in  Nepaul,  from  which 
the  Nepaulese  make  a  strong,  tough  packing-paper ;  and 
I  have  reason  to  believe  that  it  also  grows  in  the  Bhotan 
Himalayas,  at  no  very  great  distance  from  our  position 
here.  Besides,  in  China  and  Japan,  on  the  other  side 
of  these  mountains,  there  are  two  or  three  distinct  kinds 
of  the  same  plant,  out  of  which  the  Cliinese  make  the 
yellowish-colored  paper  you  may  have  seen  in  their 
books,  and  pasted  upon  their  tea-chests.  So  then," 
added  the  botanist,  looking  wistfully  towards  the  woods, 


A    KITE !  201 

"  since  the  paper-yielding  daphne  grows  in  China,  to  the 
east  of  us,  and  in  Nepaul  and  Bhotan  to  the  west,  it  is 
but  reasonable  to  conclude  that  some  species  of  it  may- 
be found  in  this  valley,  —  where  the  climate  is  just  that 
which  it  affects.  Its  seed  may  have  been  transported 
hither  by  birds :  since  many  species  of  birds  are  fond 
of  its  berries,  and  eat  them  without  receiving  any  injury  ; 
though,  strange  to  say,  they  are  poisonous  to  all  kinds  of 
quadrupeds ! " 

"  Do  you  think  you  would  know  the  shrub,  if  you  saw 
it,  brother?" 

"  Well,  to  say  the  truth,  I  do  not  think  I  could  recog- 
nize it  by  its  general  appearance ;  but  if  I  had  a  flower 
of  the  daphne,  I  could  no  doubt  tell  it  by  its  botanical 
characteristics.  The  leaves  of  the  paper-yielding  spe- 
cies are  of  a  lanceolate  form  and  purpUsh  hue,  glabrous 
and  shining,  like  the  leaves  of  laurels,  —  to  which  genus 
the  daphne  is  closely  allied.  Unfortunately,  the  shrub 
would  not  be  in  flower  at  this  season ;  but  if  we  can  find 
one  of  the  berries,  and  a  leaf  or  two,  I  fancy  I  shall  be 
able  to  identify  it.  Besides,  the  bark,  which  is  very 
tough,  would  help  to  guide  us.  Indeed,  I  have  some 
reason  to  think  that  we  shall  find  it  not  far  off;  and  that 
is  why  I  speak  with  such  confidence,  in  saying,  that  we 
might  not  be  so  deficient  in  the  materials  for  pajoer-mak- 
ing." 

"  What  reason,  brother  Karl  ?  Perhaps  you  have 
seen  something  like  it  ?  " 

"I  have.  Some  time  ago,  when  I  was  strolling 
about,  I  passed  through  a  thicket  of  low  shrubs, — 
the  tops  of  which  reached  up  to  my  breast.  They 
were  then  in  flower,  —  the  flowers  being  of  a  lilac  color, 

9* 


202  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

and  growing  at  the  tops  of  the  branches  in  little  cymes. 
They  had  no  corolla,  —  only  a  colored  calyx.  Now 
these  characters  correspond  with  those  of  the  daphne. 
Besides,  the  leaves  were  lanceolate,  velvety  on  the  sur- 
face, and  of  purplish  color ;  and  the  flowers  were  of  an 
exceedingly  sweet  scent,  —  as  is  the  case  with  all  the 
daphnads.  I  did  not  think  of  examining  them  at  the 
time ;  but,  now  that  I  recall  these  characteristics,  I  feel 
almost  certain  that  the  shrubs  were  of  this  genus." 

"  Do  you  think  you  can  find  the  thicket  again  ?  " 

"  O  yes,  easily  enough.  It  is  not  very  distant  from 
the  place  where  we  were  so  near  fighting  that  fearful 
duel." 

"  Ha !  ha !  ha !  "  laughed  Caspar,  in  reply  to  the  sig- 
nificant remark  of  the  botanist.  "  But,  brother  !  "  con- 
tinued he,  "  suppose  it  should  prove  to  be  the  shrub  you 
speak  of,  what  good  would  there  be  in  our  finding  it,  so 
long  as  we  don't  understand  the  process  of  manufactur- 
ing it  into  paper  ?  " 

"  How  do  you  know  that  we  don't  ?  "  said  Karl,  chal- 
lenging the  too  positive  declaration  of  Caspar.  "  I  am 
not  so  sure  that  we  don't.  I  have  read  the  whole  ac- 
count of  the  process,  as  given  by  one  of  the  old  writers 
upon  China.  It  is  very  simple ;  and  I  think  I  remem- 
ber enough  to  be  able  to  follow  it  Perhaps  not  to 
make  fine  paper,  that  one  might  write  upon ;  but  some- 
thing that  would  serve  our  pur250se  just  as  well.  We 
don't  want  the  best  "  cream-laid."  Unfortunately,  we 
have  no  post-office  here.  I  wish  we  had.  If  we  can 
fabricate  anything  as  fine  as  the  coarsest  packing-paper, 
it  will  do  well  enough  for  a  kite,  I  fancy." 

"  True,"  replied  Caspar.     "  It  would  be  all  the  better 


A  kite!  203 

to  be  coarse  and  strong.  But,  dear  Karl,  suppose  we 
go  at  once,  and  see  if  we  can  discover  tlie  trees." 

"  That  is  just  what  we  shall  do,"  replied  Karl,  rising 
as  he  spoke,  and  preparing  to  set  out  in  search  of  the 
daphne. 

All,  of  course,  went  together:  for  Ossaroo  was  as 
much  interested  in  the  result  of  the  exploration  as  any 
of  them  ;  and  Fritz,  from  within  the  hut,  perceiving  that 
they  were  about  to  depart  upon  some  new  expedition, 
managed  partially  to  coax  himself  out  of  his  Hi-humor ; 
and,  sallying  forth  from  his  hiding-place,  trotted  sUeutly 
after  them. 


204  THE   CLIFF-CLIMBEKS. 


CHAPTER  XLIII. 


THE    PAPER-TREE. 


To  the  great  delight  of  the  party,  it  turned  out  just 
as  Karl  had  conjectured.  The  thicket  that  he  had 
spoken  of  was  composed  chiefly  of  daphne  shrubs, — ■ 
judging  by  the  appearance  of  the  fallen  leaves,  and  some 
berries  that  stiU  remained  on  the  branches,  Karl  be- 
lieved them  to  be  of  this  species.  But  the  bark  was 
also  a  characteristic :  being  exceedingly  tenacious,  and, 
moreover,  of  a  strongly  acrid  taste,  —  so  much  so  as  to 
cauterize  the  skin  of  Ossaroo's  mouth,  who  had  been 
foolish  enough  to  chew  it  too  freely. 

After  duly  examining  the  leaves,  berries,  and  bark, 
the  botanist  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  shrub  must 
be  a  true  daphne ;  and  so  in  reality  it  was,  —  that  spe- 
cies known  in  Nepaul  as  the  Daphne  Bholua,  —  from 
which,  as  already  stated,  the  Nepaulese  manufacture  a 
coarse,  but  soft  paper. 

As  soon  as  this  point  was  determined  to  their  satisfac- 
tion, they  resolved  upon  carrying  Caspar's  hint  into  exe- 
cution, —  by  trying  the  experiment  of  a  paper  kite. 

But  for  Karl's  practical  education,  —  wliich  had  made 
him  acquainted  not  only  with  the  botanical  characters  of 
plants  and  trees,  but  also  with  their  uses,  —  and  in  some 
cases  with  the  mode  of  using  them,  —  the  mere  discovery 
of  the  daphne  would  have  availed  them  nothing.     As  it 


THE    PAPER-TREE.  205 

stood  in  the  tlucket,  it  was  no  more  like  paper  than  any 
of  the  trees  that  grew  around  it.  Indeed,  there  were 
many  others  that  would  have  yielded  bark  in  broader 
flakes  than  it,  and  much  more  resembling  paper :  for  that 
of  the  daphne,  stripping  off  as  it  did  in  narrow  pieces, 
looked  like  the  last  thing  in  the  world  of  which  to  make 
a  kite  out  of.  But  Karl  knew  the  process  by  which  it 
could  be  metamorphosed  into  paper  ;  and  without  further 
delay,  he  entered  upon  the  performance,  —  the  others 
placing  their  services  at  his  disposal,  and  acting  in  obe- 
dience to  his  orders. 

The  knife-blades  of  all  three  were  called  into  requi- 
sition ;  and  in  an  incredibly  short  space  of  time,  some 
scores  of  the  little  trees  were  stripped  of  their  bark,  — 
from  their  roots  up  to  the  lower  branches.  The  trees 
themselves  were  not  cut  down ;  as  that  was  not  neces- 
sary. They  could  be  peeled  more  readily,  as  they  stood ; 
and  for  this  reason  they  were  left  standing. 

Up  to  the  hour  of  sunset  did  these  "  cascarilleros " 
work,  —  with  only  a  few  minutes  of  interruption,  while 
they  went  back  to  the  hut  and  ate  a  hurried  luncheon  of 
ibex-meat,  —  and  just  as  the  sun  was  sinking  behind  the 
summit  of  the  great  Chumulari,  they  might  have  been 
seen  trudging  homeward,  —  each  bearing  a  heavy  bun- 
dle of  bark,  with  Fritz  following  gleefully  at  their  heels. 

The  thicket  from  which  they  had  taken  their  depart- 
ure gave  evidence  of  the  industry  with  which  they  had 
been  working  all  day  long.  Over  a  space  of  nearly 
half  an  acre. in  extent  the  trees  were  seen  standing,  each 
with  its  tiny  trunk  completely  divested  of  bark :  as  if  a 
whole  gang  of  goats  had  been  browsing  upon  them ! 

On  reaching  the  hovel,  our  bark-gatherers  did  not 


206  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

desist  from  their  labor.  They  only  entered  upon  a  new 
branch  of  industry :  by  becoming  paper  manufacturers. 

It  was  after  night ;  and  they  had  to  work  by  the  light 
of  their  torches  of  cheel-pine,  already  prepared.  But 
as  these  burnt  with  a  clear,  steady  flame,  they  served 
quite  as  well  as  candles  would  have  done. 

The  first  process  in  the  paper-making  did  not  require 
much  nicety  in  its  execution ;  and,  moreover,  it  could  be 
performed  as  well  inside  the  hut  as  in  the  largest  room 
of  a  paper-mill.  All  they  had  to  do  was  to  pick  the 
bark  to  shreds.  This  occupied  them  the  whole  evening, 
—  during  which  there  was  much  conversation  of  a  cheer- 
ful kind,  with  a  joke  or  two  about  oakum-picking  in  a 
prison ;  and  of  this,  not  only  the  task  in  which  they 
were  engaged,  but  the  situation  in  which  they  were  exe- 
cuting it,  did  not  fail  to  remind  them. 

"VYhen  they  had  finished,  they  ate  their  frugal  supper 
and  retired  to  rest,  —  full  of  the  idea  of  continuing  the 
paper  manufacture  in  the  morning. 

When  morning  came,  they  had  not  much  to  do :  for 
the  next  process  was  one  which  requii'ed  the  exercise  of 
patience  rather  than  of  labor. 

When  the  bark  of  the  daphne  has  been  thoroughly 
picked  to  pieces,  it  is  put  into  a  large  pot  or  caldron 
filled  with  water.  A  lixivium  of  wood-ashes  is  then 
thrown  in  along  with  it ;  and  it  is  suffered  to  bod  for 
several  hours. 

As  our  manufacturers  were  without  pot  or  caldron 
of  any  kind,  there  would  have  been  here  an  interruption 
of  an  insurmountable  kind :  had  it  not  been  that  they 
had  plenty  of  water  already  on  the  boU,  and  perpetually 
boiling,  —  in  the  hot  spring  near  the  hut. 


THE    PAPER-TREE.  207 

Apparently  all  they  should  have  to  do  would  be  to  im- 
merse the  prepared  bark  in  the  spring,  and  there  leave 
it  for  a  proper  length  of  time.  But  then  the  water, 
where  it  was  hottest,  was  constantly  in  motion,  bubbling 
up  and  running  off;  so  that  not  only  would  the  strings 
of  bark  be  carried  away,  but  the  ashes  would  be  sepa- 
rated from  the  mass,  and  consequently  of  no  service  in 
aiding  to  macerate  it. 

How  was  this  difficulty  to  be  got  over?  Easily 
enough.  They  had  not  proceeded  thus  far  without 
thinking  of  a  plan ;  and  this  plan  was,  to  place  the  bark 
along  with  the  ashes  in  one  of  the  large  yak-skins'  still  in 
good  preservation,  and  after  making  it  up  into  a  sort  of 
bundle,  —  like  clothes  intended  for  the  laundry,  —  to 
plunge  the  skm  and  its  contents  into  the  spring,  and 
there  leave  them,  until  the  boiling  water  should  perform 
its  part.  By  this  ingenious  contrivance  did  they  get 
over  the  difficulty  of  not  being  provided  with  a  pot. 

When  Karl  thought  that  the  bark  was  sufficiently 
boiled,  it  was  taken  out  of  the  water,  and  also  out  of  its 
yak-skin  wrapper.  It  was  then  placed,  m  mass,  upon 
a  flat  rock  near  by,  where  it  was  left  to  drip  and  get 
dry. 

During  the  time  that  it  was  in  the  water  —  and  also 
while  it  was  dripping  and  drying  on  the  rock  —  none  of 
them  were  idle.  Caspar  was  engaged  in  fashioning  a 
stout  wooden  mallet,  —  a  tool  which  would  be  needed  in 
some  after  operations,  —  while  Ossaroo  was  equally  busy 
upon  an  article  of  a  very  different  kind.  This  was 
a  sort  of  sieve  made  of  thin  splints  of  cane,  set  in  a 
frame  of  thicker  pieces  of  the  same  cane,  —  ringall 
bamboo. 


208  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBEKS. 

Ossaroo  had  undertaken  this  special  task,  as  none  of 
the  others  knew  so  well  how  to  fashion  the  baml^o  into 
any  required  utensil ;  and  although  he  was  now  making 
something  altogether  new  to  him,  yet,  working  under  the 
direction  of  Karl,  he  succeeded  in  making  a  sieve  that 
was  likely  to  serve  the  purpose  for  which  the  plant- 
hunter  designed  it.  That  purpose  will  presently  be 
spoken  of. 

As  soon  as  the  fibre  was  nearly  dry,  the  mallet  was 
brought  into  requisition,  —  and  with  this  the  mass  was 
poimded  upon  the  flat  surface  of  the  rock,  until  it  became 
reduced  to  a  complete  state  of  "  jiulp." 

This  pulp  was  once  more  put  into  the  yak-skin, — 
which  had  been  gathered  up  aroimd  the  edges  so  as  to 
form  a  sort  of  concavity  or  rude  vat,  —  and  again  im- 
mersed under  water,  —  not  of  the  boiling  spring,  but  the 
cool  water  of  the  lake,  —  until  the  bag  became  full. 
The  pulp  was  next  stirred  with  a  stick,  which  brought 
the  coarse  dirty  parts  to  the  surface.  These  were 
skimmed  off,  and  thrown  away  as  refuse,  —  and  the  pro- 
cess was  repeated  with  fresh  water,  until  the  whole  sub- 
stance, which  was  of  a  mucilaginous  character,  was 
rendered  pure,  and  soft  to  the  touch. 

The  next  and  last  operation  was  in  fact  the  making 
of  the  paper,  and  was  performed  by  Karl  himself.  It 
was  simple  enough,  though  requiring  a  certain  dexterity, 
or  sleight  of  hand,  to  do  it  well.  It  consisted  in  placing 
a  quantity  of  the  pulp  upon  the  sieve  before  mentioned, 
and  cradling  the  frame  about  —  all  the  time  held  under 
water  —  until  the  substance  became  equally  and  uni- 
formly spread  over  the  whole  surface.  The  sieve  was 
then  taken  out  of  the  water  —  being  raised  gently  and 


THE    PAPER-TREE.  209 

kept  in  a  horizontal  position,  —  so  as  not  to  derange  the 
even  stratum  of  pulp  that  covered  it.  This  done,  noth- 
ing more  remained  but  to  place  the  frame  across  a  pair 
of  bars,  and  leave  the  pulp  to  get  drained,  and  event- 
ually become  dry.     When  dry,  it  would  be  'paper  ! 

Of  course,  with  one  sieve,  the  whole  quantity  required 
could  not  be  made  at  a  single  cast ;  but,  as  soon  as  one 
sheet  became  sufficiently  dry  to  be  taken  off  the  frame, 
the  sieve  was  again  repulped  ;  and  so  on,  till  the  whole 
of  the  boiled  bark  was  converted  into  paper  ;  and  they 
found  themselves  in  possession  of  a  sufficient  number  of 
broad  sheets  to  make  a  kite  as  big  as  a  coach-house 
door. 

In  consequence  of  their  having  to  wait  for  the  drying 
of  each  sheet,  the  process  occupied  them  for  several 
days,  —  but  durmg  this  time  they  had  not  been  either 
idle  or  inactive.  Karl  and  Caspar  had  been  hard  at 
work  in  getting  up  the  "bones"  of  the  kite,  while  Ossa- 
roo  had  undertaken  to  fabricate  the  tail. 

The  rope  with  which  it  was  to  be  "  flyed  "  occupied 
more  time,  and  required  more  care,  than  any  other  por- 
tion of  their  work.  Every  strand  had  to  be  twisted  with 
the  greatest  exactness;  and  almost  every  fibre  tested, 
as  to  its  strength  and  fitness.  Could  they  have  used 
a  rope  of  stouter  build,  it  would  not  have  been  necessary 
to  be  so  particular ;  but  a  thick  rope  would  have  been 
too  heavy  for  the  kite  to  carry,  — just  as  it  had  been  too 
heavy  for  the  strength  of  the  eagle.  A  slender  cord, 
therefore,  like  that  they  were  obliged  to  make,  required 
to  be  faultless,  else  the  life  of  some  one  of  them  might 
be  sacrificed  while  attempting  the  ascent. 

With  a  foreknowledge  of  this,  it  is  hardly  necessary 


210  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

to  say  that  Ossaroo  did  his  hest  in  the  manufacture  of 
that  rope,  —  every  strand  of  it  being  twisted  between 
his  index  finger  and  his  thumb,  as  smoothly  and  evenly 
as  if  he  had  been  spinning- it  for  a  fishing-line. 

The  framework  of  the  kite  was  made  out  of  split 
culms  of  the  ringall  bamboo  ;  which,  on  account  of  its 
strength,  elasticity,  and  lightness,  was  far  superior  for 
the  purpose  to  any  species  of  exogenous  wood ;  while 
the  glue  for  laying  on  the  paper  was  procured  from  the 
root  of  an  arum,  —  grated,  and  then  boiled  into  a  glu- 
tinous starch. 

In  about  a  week  after  the  notion  of  a  kite  had  been 
"  hatched  "  in  the  brain  of  Caspar,  the  bird  itself  might 
have  been  seen  outside  the  door  of  the  hut,  —  full-fledged 
and  ready  for  flight ! 


FLYING   THE    KITE.  211 


CHAPTER    XLIV. 


FLYING    THE    KITE. 


The  kite  having  been  thus  prepared,  they  only  waited 
for  an  opportunity  of  flying  it,  —  for  a  day  when  the 
wind  should  be  sufficiently  strong,  and  blowing  from  the 
right  quarter,  —  that  is,  towards  that  portion  of  the  pre- 
cipice over  which  it  appeared  best  that  the  paper  bird 
should  be  despatched.  This  was  the  same  place,  where 
the  ladders  had  been  set,  and  where  they  had  unsuccess- 
fully endeavored  to  send  up  the  bearcoot. 

They  had  already  ascended  one  of  the  isolated  cairns 
of  rock,  that  stood  within  the  valley  nearly  opposite  this 
part  of  the  cliff;  and  from  its  top  they  had  been  able  to 
get  a  view,  —  though  not  a  very  good  one,  —  of  a  por- 
tion of  the  sloping  declivity  of  the  mountain  above.  It 
appeared  to  be  covered  with  snow,  —  here  and  there 
supporting  huge  masses  of  something,  either  bowlders  of 
rock,  or  dark-colored  lumps  of  ice.  The  eyes  of  our 
adventurers  rested  on  these  with  the  greatest  interest : 
as  they  had  done  upon  a  former  occasion,  when  about  to 
send  the  bearcoot  among  them.  Now  they  had  con- 
ceived higher  hopes  than  ever,  —  founded  upon  the  pres- 
ence of  these  masses.  If  they  should  succeed  in  flying 
the  kite  into  their  midst,  and  there  dropping  it,  it  was 
not  only  possible,  but  highly  probable,  that  it  might 
either  get  the  rope  warped  around  one  of  them,  or  itself 


212  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

become  caught  between  two,  so  as  to  hold  fast.  To  ren- 
der this  the  more  practicable,  they  had  furnished  its 
wings  with  spurs,  —  in  others  words,  they  had  left  the 
cross-piece  of  bamboo  to  extend  on  each  side  about  a 
foot  beyond  the  edge  of  the  paper  ;  and  near  the  end  of 
each  extension  they  had  placed  other  pieces  transversely, 
and  lashed  them  firmly,  —  so  that  they  might  act  as  the 
flukes  of  an  anchor. 

They  had  spared  neither  pains  nor  ingenuity  to  in- 
sure success.  They  had  done  all,  that  man  could  do,  to 
deserve  it. 

Fortune  was  so  far  favorable,  as  not  to  keep  them 
long  in  suspense.  Only  two  or  tlu'ee  days  had  passed, 
when  one  came,  on  which  the  wind  blew  in  their  favor, 
—  exactly  as  they  wanted  it.  It  was  a  stiff  breeze, 
steady  in  the  right  direction,  and  strong  enough  to  carry 
up  the  largest  of  paper  kites. 

Proceeding  to  the  place  where  the  ladders  were  set, 
with  the  huge  bii'd  carried  in  the  arms  of  Ossaroo,  they 
made  ready  for  its  flight.  Karl  was  to  start  the  kite, 
and  guide  its  ascent  from  the  ground  ;  while  Caspar  and 
the  shikaree  were  to  run  out  with  the  rope :  as  it  would 
require  the  united  strength  of  both  to  hold  such  a  broad- 
breasted  bird  against  the  wind.  They  had  taken  the 
precaution  to  cut  away  the  bushes  to  a  long  distance 
backwards  from  the  cliff,  and  so  clear  the  track :  there 
was  therefore  nothing  to  impede  them  whUe  paying  out 
the  string. 

It  was  arranged  that  Karl  should  have  direction  of 
the  movement,  and  give  out  the  signal  for  them  to  start. 

It  was  a  moment  of  vivid  emotion,  as  each  of  the  three 
placed  himself  in  the  position  assigned  to  liim,  —  Karl 


Tli(.„v  had  ^iMiL'd  neither  paius  uor  ingenuity  tu  insure  success. 


FLYING    THE    KITE.  213 

by  the  kite,  with  its  backbone  in  one  hand,  and  its  tail  in 
the  other,  —  Ossaroo  clutching  the  rope,  —  and  Caspar 
by  his  side,  holding  the  great  coil  in  readiness  for  de- 
livery. 

Karl  poised  the  creature  upon  the  stump  of  its  tail ; 
and  then,  lifting  with  all  his  strength,  —  so  as  to  raise  it 
several  feet  from  the  ground,  —  he  gave  forth  the  signal 
at  the  highest  pitch  of  his  voice. 

At  the  same  instant,  Caspar  and  the  shikaree  ran 
backward,  —  tightening  the  rope  as  they  went ;  and  like 
a  vast  vulture  with  outspread  wings  the  bird  soared 
silently  upward  into  the  air. 

It  rose  with  a  regular,  majestic  motion,  soon  overtop- 
ping the  trees  that  grew  near,  and  still  mounting  on 
towards  the  summit  of  the  cliff. 

Karl  cheered  as  he  saw  it  ascend.  The  others  were 
too  busy  in  the  performance  of  their  parts  to  find  time 
for  this  expression  of  triumph ;  and  not  until  the  kite 
had  soared  high  into  the  heavens,  and  appeared  many 
yards  above  the  brow  of  the  beetling  precipice,  did  Cas- 
par and  Ossaroo  respond  to  the  cheering  of  Karl.  Then 
both  together  gave  vent  to  their  excited  feelings  in  a 
long-continued  hurrah ! 

"  Let  go  now,  Ossaroo ! "  cried  Karl,  shouting  so  as  to 
be  heard  above  the  wind.  "  You,  Caspar,  keep  hold  of 
the  end  of  the  cord." 

Ossaroo,  obedient  to  the  order,  suddenly  slackened  his 
hold,  —  at  the  same  time  springing  towards  Caspar,  and 
prudently  seizing  the  end  along  with  him. 

The  kite  thus  released,  like  some  huge  bird  that  had  re- 
ceived its  death-wound,  turned  head  downwards  towards 
the  earth  ;  and,  after  making  various  sinuous  evolutions 


214  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

through  the  air,  flouting  its  long  tail  first  in  one  di- 
rection, then  in  another,  —  it  was  seen  darting  down 
towards  tlie  acclivity  of  the  mountain.  At  length, 
passing  behind  the  summit  of  the  cliffs,  it  was  no  longer 
visible  to  the  eyes  of  those  who  had  aided  it  in  its 
lofty  flight,  and  then  left  it  helplessly  to  fall. 

So  far  they  had  succeeded  to  the  utmost  of  their 
expectations.  The  kite  had  ahghted  just  where  they 
wanted  it. 

But  now  arose  the  question,  —  would  it  stay  there  ? 
In  other  words,  would  it  be  caught  among  the  rocks,  and 
hold  flist  ? 

If  not,  they  would  have  to  fly  it  again  and  again,  un- 
til it  should  get  fastened  above,  or  until  the  experiment 
should  prove  a  failure. 

Karl  stepped  forward  to  decide  the  point,  —  the  others 
looking  on  with  an  eagerness  of  glance,  that  betrayed 
how  deep  was  their  interest  in  the  result. 

Kai-l's  hand  trembled  as  he  laid  hold  of  the  cord.  At 
first  he  pulled  upon  it  in  a  gentle  way,  —  hand  over 
hand,  —  so  as  merely  to  take  in  the  slack. 

At  length  it  began  to  tighten,  requiring  greater 
strength  to  take  it  in :  as  if  the  kite  was  still  free,  and 
dragging  over  the  snow. 

This  produced  anything  but  a  pleasant  anticipation ; 
and  as  the  rope  came  to  hand,  foot  after  foot,  and  yard 
after  yard,  a  shadow,  that  had  stolen  over  the  counte- 
nances of  all  three,  became  sensibly  darker. 

Only  for  a  short  while  did  this  shadow  remain.  It 
vanished  more  suddenly  than  it  had  arisen,  when  they 
saw  the  rxmnmg  cord  become  abruptly  checked,  and 
then  tighten  as  Karl  continued  to  di-aw  it  in.     He  pulled 


FLYING    THE    KITE.  215 

upon  it,  at  first  exerting  only  a  part  of  his  strength,  as  if 
afraid  that  it  might  again  come  loose.  After  a  while, 
gaining  confidence,  he  pidled  with  all  his  power.  It  still 
held  fast ! 

Ossaroo  and  Caspar  now  joined  their  strength  to  his  ; 
and  all  three  pulled  together. 

Hurrah !  the  kite  would  not  come !  The  cord  kept 
its  place,  stretching  to  the  bottom  of  the  cliff,  as  taut  as 
the  mainstay  of  a  ship  ! 

Ejaculations  of  joy  escaped  from  all  three  at  the  same 
instant  of  time  :  and  for  some  moments  they  stood,  tight- 
ly clutching  the  rope,  and  holding  it  firmly :  as  if  in 
dread  of  its  being  dragged  out  of  their  grasp  by  some 
hostile  and  invisible  hand. 

At  length  Karl  suggested  the  propriety  of  making 
the  cord  secure,  by  fastening  it  to  some  object.  A  large 
upright  stone,  close  by  the  bottom  of  the  cliff,  appeared 
to  be  the  most  proper  thing ;  and  to  this  they  deter- 
mined upon  tying  it. 

Still  keeping  it  taut,  —  lest  by  slackening  it  they 
might  disturb  the  anchor  aloft,  —  they  moved  hand  over 
hand  along  the  rope,  until  they  had  got  close  to  the  bot- 
tom of  the  precipice.  Then,  while  Karl  and  Caspar  still 
held  on,  Ossaroo  gathered  up  the  slack  ;  and,  turning  it 
several  times  round  the  stone,  securely  helayed  it. 

Nothing  more  remained  but  to  make  the  steps, — 
which  had  been  already  designed,  —  adjust  them  in  their 
places,  —  climb  up  to  the  top  of  the  cliff,  —  and  be  free 
as  the  mountain  breeze,  which  would  there  be  blowing 
around  them ! 

The  thought  of  such  a  lucky  deliverance  filled  them 
once   more   with  joyous    imaginings ;    and   they   stood 


216  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

around  tJie  stone,  to  whicli  the  rope  had  been  attached, 
—  congratulating  themselves,  as  if  they  had  already  es- 
caped. 

They  knew  there  would  still  be  some  time  required  to 
make  the  steps,  and  fix  them  in  their  places ;  but,  since 
they  no  longer  doubted  their  abUity  to  accomplish  the 
ascent,  the  interval  of  time  might  be  passed  cheerfully 
enough ;  and,  with  this  pleasant  anticipation,  they  went 
back  to  their  workshop  in  the  best  of  spirits,  and  cooked 
themselves  a  more  careful  dinner  than  they  had  eaten 
since  the  discovery  of  the  daphne  trees. 


TUE    ROPE    LADDER.  217 


CHAPTER    XLV. 


THE    ROPE    LADDER. 


It  took  them  another  day  —  with  their  blades  all, 
busy  from  morning  till  night  —  to  prepare  the  pegs 
which  were  to  constitute  the  "rounds"  of  their  rope 
ladder.  More  than  a  hundred  were  required:  as  the 
cliff  where  the  rope  passed  up  was  over  a  hundred 
yards  in  height ;  and  the  steps  were  intended  to  be 
placed  at  equal  distances  of  about  two  feet  apart. 

It  had  been  their  design  at  first  to  insert  the  steps  in 
the  rope,  —  between  the  strands  of  which  it  was  com- 
posed ;  but,  on  reflection,  a  better  plan  suggested  itself. 
By  opening  the  strands  to  let  in  the  pieces  of  wood,  the 
rope  might  be  weakened,  so  much  as  to  endanger  its 
breaking ;  and  this  alone,  above  all  things,  was  to  be 
avoided.  It  was  deemed  more  prudent  to  leave  the 
cord  untouched,  and  place  the  sticks  crosswise  outside 
of  it.  Wliipped  round  with  strong  pieces  of  other  cprd, 
they  could  easily  be  made  to  keep  their  places,  —  more 
especially  as,  with  the  hands  of  the  climber  grasjiing 
the  rope  above,  no  one  stick  would  have  to  carry  the  full 
weight  of  his  body  ;  and,  even  should  one  of  them  slip  a 
little  out  of  place,  there  would  be  no  great  danger  of  an 
accident  arising  out  of  the  circumstance. 

It  occupied  them  a  second  day  in  twining  the  pieces 
of  string,  required  for  tying  the  sticks  in  their  places ; 

10 


218  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

and,  upon  the  morning  of  the  third,  they  returned  to  the 
cliflP,  with  the  intention  of  transforming  the  cord  that 
the  kite  had  carried  up  into  a  rope  ladder. 

The  mode  by  which  they  intended  to  effect  this  pur- 
pose will  be  easily  understood,  —  after  what  has  been 
already  said  respecting  it.  The  little  sticks  were  to  be 
laid  transversely  against  the  rope,  and  then  so  tightly 
tied  in  their  places  as  to  prevent  them  from  slipping 
down.  The  first  was  to  be  attached  about  the  height  of 
a  man's  waist  from  the  ground ;  and  the  second  on  a 
level  with  his  chin.  Then  with  the  feet  resting  upon 
the  first,  and  the  left  hand  gi'asping  the  rope  above,  it 
woidd  be  possible  to  fix  another  at  the  height  of  the 
chin,  as  it  would  then  be.  By  climbing  up  to  the  second, 
a  fourth  could  be  placed  at  a  little  distance  above ;  and 
thus  in  succession,  till  the  top  of  the  cliff  should  be 
attained. 

It  was  not  supposed  that  any  one  could  continue  the 
process  of  attaching  the  steps,  till  all  were  set  in  their 
places ;  nor  did  they  contemplate  being  able  to  complete 
the  work  in  a  little  time.  On  the  contrary,  they  expected 
it  to  occupy  them  for  days ;  and  they  knew,  moreover, 
that  long  intervals  of  rest  would  be  required  by  any  one 
who  should  have  to  execute  it.  Standing  upon  such 
unstable  footing,  for  any  considerable  length  of  time, 
would  be  both  irksome  and  fatiguing;  and  they  were 
about  to  enter  upon  the  task  with  a  full  knowledge  of 
its  dif&culties. 

On  reaching  the  cord  they  at  once  set  to  work  upon 
it.  Rather  should  it  be  said,  that  one  of  them  did  so : 
for  only  one  could  work  at  a  time  in  this,  the  last  labor, 
as  they  supposed,  they  would  have  to  perform  in  that 
lone  valley. 


THE    ROPE    LADDER.  219 

In  attaching  the  steps  to  the  rope,  Ossaroo  was  al- 
lowed to  act  as  sole  operator :  since  neither  of  the  others 
understood  the  handling  of  cordage  so  well  as  he.  They 
could  but  act  as  spectators ;  and  the  only  purpose  which 
their  presence  could  serve;  was  to  cheer  the  shikaree  by 
their  company  and  conversation. 

By  good  fortune  it  was  not  necessary  for  Ossaroo  to 
fix  any  steps  to  the  first  thirty  feet  of  the  kite  cord. 
One  of  the  long  ladders  which  they  had  made  enabled 
him  to  ascend  that  far  without  using  the  sticks ;  and,  in- 
deed, all  of  the  ladders  might  have  served  in  this  way, 
had  the  kite  carried  its  cord  up  the  cliff  within  reach  of 
them.  Unfortunately,  this  did  not  happen  to  be  the 
case ;  and  only  the  first  ladder  could  be  made  available. 

Placing  it  nearly  parallel  with  the  rope,  Ossaroo 
mounted  up ;  and,  when  near  its  top,  commenced  attach- 
ing the  steps.  He  had  carried  up  along  with  him  about 
a  dozen  of  the  little  sticks,  with  cords  to  correspond,  — 
in  a  sort  of  pouch,  which  he  had  formed  with  the  skirts 
of  his  cotton  tunic. 

Karl  and  Caspar  below,  seated  upon  stones,  and  Fritz 
squatted  on  the  ground,  watched  the  movements  of  the 
shikaree  with  deep  and  speechless  interest. 

It  was  not  a  very  long  time  before  he  had  adjusted 
the  first  two  pegs  in  their  proper  places ;  and,  then  let- 
ting himself  off  the  ladder,  and  placing  both  his  feet 
upon  the  first  cross-piece,  in  a  way  that  they  balanced 
one  another  and  kept  the  stick  in  a  horizontal  position, 
he  proceeded  to  attach  the  tliird  about  the  height  of 
his  chin. 

To  do  this  required  a  good  deal  of  adroitness ;  but 
Ossaroo  was  gifted  with  this  quality  to  a  high  degree ; 


220  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

and,  so  far  as  his  footing  was  concerned,  the  Hindoo  was 
as  much  at  home  upon  a  rope,  as  would  have  been  one 
of  those  monkeys  sacred  to  the  believers  in  his  Brah- 
ministic  creed. 

Any  other  feet  would  soon  have  become  tired,  —  rest- 
ing upon  such  a  slender  support ;  but  Ossaroo  had  been 
accustomed  to  climbing  the  tall,  lofty  palms,  until  his 
toes  had  acquired  a  certain  degi-ee  of  prehensile  power ; 
and  the  smallest  branch  or  protuberance  on  the  trunk 
of  a  tree,  or  even  a  knot  on  a  rope,  was  footing  enough 
to  enable  him  to  hold  on  for  many  minutes  at  a  time. 
He  had  no  difficulty,  therefore,  in  balancing  himself 
upon  the  sticks  which  he  had  already  attached ;  nor  as- 
cending from  one  to  the  other,  as  each  was  got  into  its 
place.  In  this  way  he  proceeded,  until  the  stock  which 
he  had  taken  up  with  him  was  exhausted,  and  his  apron 
hung  empty.  Then,  letting  liimself  down  from  step  to 
step,  and  cautiously  returning  to  the  wooden  ladder,  he 
descended  to  the  bottom  of  the  cliff. 

Karl  or  Caspar  might  have  rendered  his  coming  down 
unnecessary,  as  either  could  have  carried  so  light  a 
"  hod "  up  the  ladder ;  but  there  was  good  reason  why 
Ossaroo  should  make  the  descent,  —  that  was,  to  rest  and 
refresh  himself. 

He  did  not  remain  very  long  below, — just  long 
enough  to  let  the  blood  circulate  along  the  soles  of  his 
naked  feet,  —  and  then,  with  his  apron  distended,  —  be- 
ing once  more  full  of  sticks,  —  he  reclimbed  the  ladder, 
swung  himself  out  upon  the  cord,  and  clambered  up  the 
steps  he  had  already  fixed  in  their  places. 

His  second  stock  of  sticks  becoming  exhausted  as 
the  first,  he  again  revisited  the  earth,  —  again  allowed 


THE    ROPE    LADDER.  221 

himself  an  interval  of  rest,  —  and  then  ascended  as  he- 
fore. 

With  Ossaroo  proceeding  in  this  fashion,  the  remain- 
der of  tlie  day  was  spent,  a  long  interval  being  allowed 
for  dinner,  which  Karl  and  Caspar,  having  nothing  else 
to  do,  had  cooked  with  extra  care.  They  did  not  go 
home  to  the  hut  to  perform  their  culinary  operations. 
There  would  have  been  no  advantage  in  doing  so,  since 
the  kitchen  accommodation  there  was  not  a  whit  better 
than  where  they  were  at  work ;  and  the  larder  contained 
nothing  more  than  what  they  had  brought  along  with 
them,  —  some  dried  ibex-meat.  But  Karl  had  not  been 
idle  for  a  portion  of  the  time,  and  had  collected  various 
roots  and  fruits  that,  when  roasted,  not  only  helped  out 
the  meal,  but  rendered  it  sufficiently  luxurious  for  stom- 
achs like  theirs,  no  longer  fastidious. 

After  dinner,  Ossaroo  indulged  in  a  long  smoke  of  his 
favorite  "  bang " ;  and,  stimulated  by  this,  returned  to 
his  task  with  renewed  energy. 

So  successful  was  he  in  its  accomplishment,  that,  be- 
fore sunset,  he  had  full  fifty  steps  in  place ;  which,  along 
with  the  wooden  ladder,  enabled  him  to  climb  nearly 
a  third  of  the  way  up  the  cliiF. 

Of  course  darkness  put  an  end  to  his  operations  for 
that  day ;  and  with  the  intention  of  continuing  them  on 
the  morrow,  both  the  operator  and  spectators  wended 
their  way  back  to  the  hut,  —  Karl  and  Caspar  showing 
as  much  respect  to  Ossaroo  as  if  he  had  been  the  master 
architect,  and  they  only  his  assistants  or  laborers.  Even 
Fritz  appeared  to  be  impressed  with  the  belief  that  the 
shikaree  was  the  most  important  personage  in  the  party : 
for  every  time  that  the  latter  descended  from  the  cliif  the 


222  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

dog  had  paid  his  "  devoirs  "  to  liim,  friskiug  around,  leap- 
ing up,  and  looking  steadfastly  in  his  face,  as  if  congratu- 
lating him  on  being  their  deliverer ! 

On  the  road  home  Fritz  continued  these  demonstra- 
tions, —  springing  against  the  legs  of  the  shikaree  so  as 
occasionally  to  impede  his  progress,  evidently  convinced 
—  either  from  Ms  own  observation  or  from  the  respect 
which  he  saw  the  others  were  paying  him  —  that  the 
Hindoo  was  the  hero  of  the  day! 


OSSAKOO    MAKES    A    QUICK    DESCENT.  223 


CHAPTER    XLVI. 

OSSAROO    MAKES   A    QUICK   DESCENT. 

Next  morning,  as  soon  as  they  had  despatched  an 
early  meal,  they  returned  to  their  work,  —  that  is,  Ossa- 
roo  to  work,  the  others  to  watch. 

Unfortunately  on  this  day  the  weather  was  unfavor- 
able for  operations.  There  was  a  high  wind,  not  con- 
tinuous, but  blowing  in  short,  quick  puffs,  —  gusty  and 
violent. 

As  Ossaroo  hung  upon  the  rope  half-way  up  the  preci- 
pice, the  wind  acting  upon  his  body,  carried  him  at  times 
several  feet  out  from  the  face  of  the  cliff,  —  causing  him 
also  to  osciUate  violently  from  side  to  side,  notwith- 
standing that  the  rope  was  fast  at  both  ends ! 

It  was  fearful  to  look  at  him  thus  suspended,  and 
swinging  in  mid-air.  At  times  the  hearts  of  the  specta- 
tors were  filled  with  consternation  lest  the  brave  shika- 
ree should  either  have  his  brains  dashed  out  against  the 
beetlmg  cliff,  or,  bemg  forced  to  let  go  his  hold,  be  flung 
far  out,  and,  falling  upon  the  rocks  below,  get  crushed 
to  atoms. 

Often  during  the  earlier  part  of  the  day  were  the 
•  alarms  of  Karl  and  Caspar  raised  to  such  a  height  that 
they  shouted  to  Ossaroo  to  come  down ;  and,  when 
down,  entreated  liim  not  to  go  up  again  untU,  by  the 
lulling  of  the  wind,  the  danger  should  become  dimin- 
ished. 


224  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

Their  entreaties,  however,  were  of  no  avail.  The 
shikaree,  accustomed  all  his  life  to  braving  the  elements, 
felt  no  fear  of  them;  but,  on  the  contrary,  seemed  to 
feel  a  pride,  if  not  an  actual  pleasure,  in  thus  daring 
danger. 

Even  wliile  swinging  out  from  the  clifF,  and  oscil- 
lating along  its  fagade,  —  like  the  pendulum  of  some 
gigantic  clock,  —  he  was  seen  tying  the  strings  and  ad- 
justing the  pieces  of  stick,  as  coolly  as  if  he  had  been 
standing  upon  terra  jirma  at  the  bottom  ! 

Thus,  nearly  to  the  hour  of  noon,  did  Ossaroo  continue 
his  arduous  undertaking,  —  of  course  with  the  usual  in- 
tervals of  rest,  during  each  of  which  Karl  and  Caspar 
reiterated  their  entreaties  for  him  to  desist,  and  leave  the 
work  to  be  executed  at  a  more  favorable  opportunity. 
Fritz,  too,  while  lavishing  his  caresses  on  the  daring 
climber,  seemed  to  look  persuadingly  into  his  face,  as 
if  he  knew  there  was  danger  in  what  the  Hindoo  was 
doing. 

It  was  all  in  vain.  The  shikaree,  while  resisting  all 
their  efforts  to  restrain  him,  seemed  to  scorn  the  danger 
which  they  dreaded,  and,  without  hesitation,  returned  to 
his  perilous  task. 

And  no  doubt  he  would  have  succeeded  in  accom- 
plishing it,  allowing  due  time  for  its  completion.  It  was 
not  the  wind  that  would  have  shaken  him  from  that 
rope,  to  which  he  clung  with  the  tenacity  of  a  spider. 
Had  the  support  proved  true,  he  could  have  held  on, 
even  though  it  had  been  blowing  a  hurricane ! 

It  was  not  in  this  that  his  chief  danger  lay ;  nor  from 
such  source  was  it  to  come,  —  but  from  one  altogether 
unexpected  and  unthought-of. 


OSSAROO    MAKES    A    QUICK    DESCENT.  225 

It  was  near  the  hour  of  noon,  and  Ossaroo  had  already 
succeeded  in  setting  the  steps  up  to  about  half  the  height 
of  the  cliff.  He  had  descended  for  a  fresh  supply  of 
sticks ;  and,  having  gone  up  the  tree-ladder,  and  swung 
himself  back  upon  the  kite  cord,  was  just  commencing  to 
clamber  up  it,  —  as  he  had  already  done  nearly  a  score 
of  times. 

The  eyes  of  Karl  and  Caspar  were  upon  him,  follow- 
ing his  movements,  as  they  had  been  doing  all  along,  — 
for,  despite  his  frequent  repetition  of  the  ascent,  it  was 
always  a  perilous  performance,  and  interesting  to  be- 
hold. 

Just  as  he  had  got  free  from  the  ladder,  and  fairly  out 
upon  the  rope,  a  cry  came  from  his  lips  that  thrilled  the 
hearts  of  the  spectators  with  alarm,  for  they  knew  that 
the  utterance  was  one  of  terror.  They  needed  no  expla- 
nation of  that  cry,  —  for  at  the  same  moment  that  it 
reached  their  ears  they  perceived  the  danger  that  had 
caused  Ossaroo  to  utter  it.  He  was  descending  along 
the  faQade  of  the  cliff,  —  not  gliding  down  the  rope  of 
his  own  free  will,  but  as  if  the  kite  had  got  loose  at  the 
top,  and,  yielding  to  the  weight  of  his  body,  was  being 
di'agged  over  the  surface  of  the  snow ! 

At  first  he  appeared  to  be  descending  only  very  slowly ; 
and,  but  for  the  cries  he  was  putting  forth,  and  the 
slackening  of  the  rope  below,  they  upon  the  ground 
might  not  have  been  aware  of  what  was  going  on.  But 
they  had  not  regarded  his  movements  for  many  seconds 
before  perceiving  the  true  state  of  the  case,  and  the 
fearfid  peril  in  which  their  faithful  shikaree  was  now 
placed. 

Beyond  doubt  the  kite  had  become  detached  above, 
10*  o 


226  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

and,  yielding  to  the  strain  upon  the  rope,  caused  by 
Ossai'oo's  weight,  was  being  pulled  towards  the  edge  of 
the  precipice ! 

Would  the  resistance  be  equal  to  the  weight  of  the 
man's  body  ?  Would  it  let  him  down  easily  ?  Or  would 
the  dragging  anchor  arrive  at  a  place  where  the  surface 
was  smooth,  and  then  gliding  rajjidly  over  it,  increase 
^  the  velocity  of  the  descent  ?  In  other  words,  was  the 
shikaree  about  to  be  projected  through  a  fall  of  thirty 
feet  to  the  bottom  of  the  cliff? 

The  spectators  were  left  but  little  time  to  speculate  on 
probabilities.  Not  a  moment  was  allowed  them  to  take 
measures  for  securing  the  safety  of  their  companion. 
Before  they  could  recover  from  the  surprise  with  which 
his  first  shout  had  inspired  them,  they  saw  that  his  de- 
scent was  every  moment  becoming  more  accelerated : 
now  in  gradual  declination,  then  in  quick,  short  jerks,  — 
until  he  had  got  witliin  about  twenty  feet  of  the  ground. 
They  were  in  hopes  that  he  might  continue  to  descend 
in  this  fashion  for  a  few  yards  farther,  and  then  the  dan- 
ger would  be  over ;  but,  just  at  that  moment,  the  broad 
breast  of  the  kite  was  seen  poising  itself  over  the  top  of 
the  cliff;  and  like  a  great  living  bird,  it  sprang  off  from 
the  rocks,  and  soared  out  over  the  valley ! 

Ossaroo,  still  clinging  to  the  cord,  was  carried  some 
distance  from  the  cliff;  but,  fortunately  for  him,  the 
weight  of  his  body  overbalanced  the  resistance  which 
the  atmosphere  offered  to  the  broad  surface  of  the  kite ; 
else  he  might  have  been  carried  much  higher  into  the 
air.  Equally  fortunate  was  it,  that  the  amount  of  over- 
balance was  exceedingly  slight,  —  otherwise  he  might 
have  been  dashed  with  violence  to  the  earth! 


OSSAROO   MAKES   A    QUICK   DESCENT.  227 

As  it  was,  he  came  down  as  gently  as  a  dove,  alight- 
ing upon  his  legs,  and  remaining  erect  upon  them,  like 
Mercury  upon  the  top  of  his  "  sky-kissing  mountain." 

The  moment  that  the  shikaree  felt  his  feet  touching 
terra  fir-ma,  he  sprang  nimbly  to  one  side,  at  the  same 
instant  letting  go  the  rope,  as  if  it  had  been  a  rod  of 
red-hot  iron ! 

The  great  kite,  no  longer  held  in  poise  against  the 
wind,  commenced  darting  hither  and  thither ;  at  each 
turn  descending  lower  and  lower,  —  imtil  by  one  last 
swoop,  in  which  it  seemed  to  concentrate  all  its  failing 
strength,  it  came  down  towards  Ossaroo  like  a  gigantic 
bird  of  prey  descending  upon  its  victim ! 

It  was  just  as  much  as  the  shikaree  could  do  to  get 
out  of  the  way  ;  and,  had  he  not  ducked  his  head  in  the 
very  nick  of  time,  he  would  certainly  have  received  a 
blow  upon  his  skuU,  that  would  have  endangered  its 
entirety. 


228  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 


CHAPTER    XLVII. 

THE   ESCAPE  OF  THE  KITE. 

The  joy  whicli  all  felt  at  the  miraculous  escape  of 
Ossaroo  more  than  compensated  for  their  chagrin  at  the 
circumstance  of  the  kite  having  returned  to  them  :  more 
especially,  as  they  believed  that  the  accident  was  not 
without  remedy.  It  might  be  attributed  to  the  wind, 
which  no  doubt  had  lifted  the  kite  from  where  it  lay,  de- 
taching it  from  the  rock,  or  whatever  other  object  that 
had  for  the  time  entangled  it. 

They  doubted  not  but  that  they  might  again  succeed 
in  sending  it  up,  and  getting  it  fast  as  before  ;  and  this 
confidence  hindered  them  from  grieving  over  the  unfor- 
tunate occurrence  as  they  might  otherwise  have  done. 

As  the  wind  on  that  day  was  in  the  wrong  quarter  for 
flying  a  kite  towards  the  cliff,  they  determined  to  post- 
pone the  attempt,  till  a  more  favorable  opportunity ; 
and,  in  order  that  their  kite  should  not  be  in  danger  of 
getting  spoiled  by  the  rain,  they  once  more  shouldered, 
and  carried  it  back,  rope  and  all,  to  the  shelter  of  the 
hut. 

Nearly  a  week  elapsed  before  there  was  a  breeze 
that  blew  in  their  favor ;  but  during  this  interval  they 
had  not  been  altogether  unemployed.  StUl  imcertain 
of  the  length  of  time  they  might  be  detained  in  the  val- 
ley, they  had  passed  almost  every  hour  of  the  daylight 


THE    ESCAPE    OF    THE    KITE.  229 

in  increasing  their  stock  of  provisions,  —  so  as  not  to 
encroach  upon  the  cured  venison  of  the  ibex,  of  which  a 
considerable  quantity  was  still  good. 

Their  guns  were  no  longer  used  for  procuring  food. 
The  last  loads  still  remained  in  the  bai'rels ;  and  were 
not  to  be  fii'ed  off,  —  until  every  other  means  of  captur- 
ing game  should  fail  them. 

Indeed,  they  were  now  so  confident  of  being  able  to 
get  out  of  their  prison,  that  at  times  they  almost  fancied 
theniselves  already  on  their  way  down  the  mountains ; 
and  talked  of  keepmg  their  guns  loaded,  against  any 
danger  from  large  animals  they  might  encounter  on  their 
homeward  journey.  For  procurmg  food  they  knew  that 
firearms  were  not  necessary.  Ossaroo's  bow  was  suffi- 
cient weapon  for  that.  Often  might  it  be  heard  twang- 
ing among  the  trees ;  and  as  often  did  the  shikaree's 
arrow  pierce  the  breast  of  some  fine  bird,  —  a  peacock, 
or  argus  pheasant,  or  one  of  the  beautiful  Brahminy 
geese  that  frequented  the  waters  of  the  lake. 

Ossaroo's  nets  and  lines,  too,  were  not  without  their 
use.  Fish  were  caught  of  various  kinds,  and  excellent 
quality ;  and  there  was  one  sort  in  particular,  should  all 
else  fail,  that  promised  to  furnish  them  with  an  inex- 
haustible supply.  This  was  a  large  species  of  eel,  in 
which  the  lake  abounded,  to  such  an  extent,  that  it  was 
only  necessary  to  cast  in  a  hook,  with  a  worm  upon  it, 
and  an  eel  of  nearly  six  feet  in  length  would  be  instantly 
landed. 

As  they  did  not  always  relish  to  dine  upon  eels,  but 
little  of  their  time  was  spent  in  procuring  them.  For 
all  that,  they  were  gratified  on  discovering  the  abun- 
dance   of    these   slippery   creatures,  —  knowing    that, 


230  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

should  other  resources  fail,  they  would  find  in  them  a 
staple  article  of  wholesome  food,  that  could  never  be- 
come scarce,  no  matter  how  much  they  should  eat  of  it. 

A  favorable  wind  at  length  came  on  to  blow ;  and 
the  kite  was  once  more  shouldered,  and  carried  to  the 
same  place  as  before.  Just  in  the  same  way  did  they 
proceed  to  fly  it ;  and  in  the  same  style  it  again  rose 
soaring  above  the  cliff;  and  the  cord  having  been 
suddenly  slacked,  sank  to  rest  upon  the  slope  of  the 
mountain. 

So  far  were  they  once  more  successful ;  but  alas  !  it 
proved  to  be  just  so  far  and  no  farther. 

Pulling  ui^on  the  rope,  to  ascertain  whether  their 
anchor  had  "  bit,"  they  were  chagrined  to  receive  an 
answer  in  the  negative.  The  cord  came  back  to  them 
with  scarce  any  resistance  ;  or  only  such  as  was  caused 
by  friction  over  the  edge  of  the  cliff,  and  by  the  di'ag  of 
the  kite  itself  along  the  snowy  surface. 

Hand  over  hand,  they  drew  it  back :  foot  by  foot,  and 
yard  by  yard,  it  came  yieldingly  towards  them,  —  until 
they  saw  the  broad  curving  breast  of  the  pseudo-bird 
projecting  over  the  parapet  edge  of  the  precipice ! 

Once  more  was  it  launched  out  into  the  air ;  once 
more  was  rope  given  it,  till  it  had  ascended  to  the  full 
length  of  its  tether ;  and  once  more  was  it  allowed  to 
alight. 

Again  the  pull  downward  and  inward,  —  again  the 
cord  came  freely  to  hand,  —  and  again  was  the  rounded 
bow  seen  upon  the  brow  of  the  precipice,  and  outlined 
against  the  blue  sky  above  ;  not  like  the  beautiful  bow 
of  the  iris,  —  a  thing  of  j)romise,  —  but  one  of  disap- 
pointment and  chagrin. 


THE    ESCAPE    OF    THE    KITE.  231 

Again  the  flight,  —  again  the  faihire,  —  again  and 
again ;  until  the  patience  of  the  oi^erators  —  to  say 
nothing  of  their  strength  —  was  wellnigh  exhausted. 

But  it  was  no  mere  play  for  the  sake  of  pastime. 
They  were  not  flymg  that  kite  for  their  amusement; 
nor  yet  for  the  purpose  of  making  some  scientific  experi- 
ment. They  were  flying  it  as  a  means  of  obtaining  their 
personal  liberty ;  and  they  were  all  of  them  mterested 
in  the  success  or  failure  of  the  attemj^t,  —  almost  as 
much  as  if  their  lives  rested  on  the  issue. 

However  tried  their  strength,  or  worn  out  their  pa- 
tience, it  would  not  do  to  give  up ;  and,  therefore,  — 
although  at  each  unsuccessful  eflfort,  with  hopes  con- 
stantly becoming  diminished,  —  they  continued  their  ex- 
ertions. 

For  more  than  a  score  of  times  they  had  sent  up  the 
kite,  and  as  often  dragged  it  back  to  the  brow  of  the 
cliflT;  not  always  at  the  same  point :  for  they  had  them- 
selves changed  then-  groimd,  and  tried  the  flight  in  differ- 
ent ph\ces. 

In  all  cases,  the  result  was  the  same.  The  bird  re- 
fused to  take  hold  with  its  claws,  —  either  on  rocks,  or 
blocks  of  ice,  or  banks  of  frozen  snow,  —  all  of  which 
lay  scattered  over  the  slope  of  the  mountain. 

Considering  that  it  had  caught  hold  on  the  very  first 
trial,  so  many  failures  were  regarded  by  our  adventurers 
with  some  surprise.  Had  it  never  held,  there  would 
have  been  no  cause  for  this  ;  and  after  so  many  attempts, 
they  would  have  been  the  more  inclined  to  yield  up  their 
plan,  deeming  it  impracticable.  But  the  fact  of  their 
first  success  sustained  them  in  the  hope  that  success 
might  again  be  obtained ;  and,  in  this  belief,  tlaey  were 
encouraged  to  "keep  on  trying." 


232  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBEES. 

Half  a  dozen  additional  flights  were  made,  but  for- 
tune still  decliniag  to  favor  them,  they  desisted  from 
their  efforts,  leaving  the  paper-bird  with  its  breast  pro- 
truding over  the  cliff :  as  if  perched  there  in  preparation 
for  a  further  flight. 

By  this  time  the  kite  had  become  sadly  damaged,  — 
its  plumage  having  received  rough  usage  by  constant 
trailing  over  the  rocks  and  sharp  angles  of  ice.  While 
up  in  the  an-,  daylight  could  be  seen  shining  through  it 
in  several  places ;  and  it  no  longer  exhibited  that  ma- 
jesty of  flight  that  had  originally  characterized  it.  It 
was  evident  that  repairs  would  soon  be  needed ;  and  to 
discuss  this  question,  as  also  to  consider  the  propriety 
of  proceeding  to  make  trial  at  some  other  place,  our  ad- 
venturers, for  a  time,  discontinued  their  efforts. 

All  three  were  standing  together,  but  at  several  paces 
distant  from  the  end  of  the  rope ;  which  they  had  for  the 
moment  abandoned,  and  which  lay  negligently  along  the 
groimd. 

They  had  not  taken  the  slightest  precaution  to  secure 
it :  for  it  had  not  occuiTed  to  them  that  there  was  any 
risk  in  leaving  it  loose. 

It  was  only  when  too  late  that  they  perceived  the 
mistake  they  had  committed,  —  only  when  they  saw  the 
cord  suddenly  jerked  up  from  the  ground,  as  if  some  in- 
visible hand  was  lifting  it  aloft  into  the  sky ! 

All  thi-ee  rushed  towards  it  at  the  same  instant.  They 
were  too  late.  Already  the  end  of  the  rope  was  dang- 
ling at  such  a  height  above  their  heads,  that  even  the 
tallest  of  them  could  not  touch  it  with  the  tips  of  his 
fingers. 

Ossaroo  leaped  high  into  the  air  in  an  endeavor  to 


-    THE    ESCAPE    OF    THE    KITE.  233 

clutch  the  strhig.  Casjjar  ran  to  procure  a  pole  which 
lay  near,  in  hopes  of  retaining  it  in  that  way :  while 
Karl  ran  up  the  ladder  that  was  resting  against  the  cliff, 
near  which  the  rope  was  yet  trailing. 

The  efforts  of  all  three  were  alike  vain.  For  a  second 
or  two  the  end  of  the  cord  hung  oscillating  above  their 
heads, — just  sufficiently  out  of  reach  to  tantalize  them; 
and  then,  as  if  the  invisible  hand  above  had  given  it 
another  gigantic  jerk,  it  was  drawn  rapidly  and  verti- 
cally upwai'd,  tUl  it  finally  disappeared  over  the  crest  of 
the  cliff! 


234  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 


CHAPTER    XLVIII. 

NO    MORE    PAPER-TREES. 

There  was  notliing  mysterious  in  the  disappearance 
of  the  cord.  The  kite  was  no  longer  visible  on  the 
summit  of  the  cliiF.  The  wiad  had  carried  it  away ; 
and,  of  course,  its  rope  along  with  it. 

When  the  first  moment  of  surprise  had  passed,  our 
adventui'ers  turned  toward  each  other  with  glances  that 
spoke  somethuig  more  than  disappointment.  Notwith- 
staudiug  the  number  of  times  that  the  kite  had  failed  to 
fix  itself,  still  it  had  once  taken  a  fast  hold,  and  it  was 
but  reasonable  to  suppose  it  would  have  done  so  again. 
Besides,  there  were  other  places  where  the  precij)ice  was 
as  low,  and  even  lower,  than  where  they  had  made  the 
trials ;  and  at  some  of  these  they  might  have  been  more 
successful.  Indeed,  there  was  every  probability  that, 
had  they  not  lost  that  kite,  they  would  have  been  able, 
in  due  time,  to  have  climbed  out  of  their  rock-bound 
prison  by  a  ladder  of  rope  ;  but  now  all  chance  of  domg 
so  was  gone  forever,  —  swept  ofi"  by  a  single  puflf  of 
wind. 

You  may  be  fancying  that  the  misfortime  was  not 
irremediable.  Another  kite,  you  wUl  be  saying,  might 
be  constructed  out  of  similar  materials  as  those  used  in 
making  the  one  carried  away.  But  to  say  this,  would 
be  to  speak  without  a  full  knowledge  of  the  circum- 
Btances. 


NO    MORE    PArER-TKEES.  235 

The  same  thought  had  already  passed  through  the 
mmds  of  our  adventurers,  when  they  perceived  that  the 
kite  they  were  flying  was  getting  torn  and  otherwise 
damaged. 

"  We  can  easily  make  another,"  suggested  Caspar  at 
that  crisis. 

"  No,  brother,"  was  the  answer  of  Karl ;  "  never 
another,  I  fear.  We  have  paper  enough  left  to  patch 
this  one ;  but  not  enough  to  make  another." 

"  But  we  can  make  more  paper,  can  we  not  ?  "  urged 
Caspar,  interrogatively. 

"  Ah  ! "  again  replied  Karl,  with  a  negative  shake  of 
the  head,  "  no  more,  —  not  another  sheet ! " 

"  But  why  ?  Do  you  think  there  are  no  more  daphne 
trees  ?  " 

"  I  think  there  are  not.  You  remember  we  stripped 
all  there  were  in  the  thicket ;  and  since  then,  thinking 
we  might  need  more  bark,  I  have  gone  all  through  the 
valley  and  explored  it  in  every  direction,  without  meet- 
ing with  a  smgle  shrub  of  the  daphne.  I  am  almost 
certain  there  are  none." 

This  conversation  between  the  brothers  had  occurred 
long  befoi-e  the  losmg  of  the  kite.  When  that  event 
came  to  pass,  it  was  not  necessary  for  them  to  rejieat  it ; 
and,  both  being  thus  acquainted  with  the  fact  that  it 
was  impossible  for  them  to  construct  another,  they  felt 
that  they  had  sustained  an  irreparable  loss. 

In  what  direction  had  the  kite  been  carried  off? 
Might  it  not  be  blown  along  the  line  of  cliffs  and  tossed 
back  again  into  the  valley? 

As  there  appeared  some  probability  that  such  a  chance 
might  arise,  all  three  ran  outward  from  the  rocks,  —  in 


236  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBEES. 

order  to  command  a  better  view  of  the  precipice  on  each 
side. 

For  a  long  time  they  stood  watching,  —  in  hopes  that 
they  might  see  the  great  paper  bird  returning  to  the 
scene  of  its  nativity.  But  it  never  came  back ;  and  they 
became  at  length  convinced  that  it  never  would.  Indeed, 
the  direction  of  the  wind  —  when  they  paused  to  con- 
sider it  —  rendered  the  thing  not  only  improbable,  but 
imj)ossible.  It  was  blowing  from  the  cliffs,  and  towards 
the  snowy  ridge.  No  doubt  the  kite  had  been  carried 
up  the  slopmg  acclivity;  and  had  either  passed  clear 
over  the  mountains,  or  become  lodged  in  some  deep  de- 
file, where  the  wind  could  no  longer  reach  it.  At  aU 
events,  it  was  certain  that  both  kite  and  cord  were  lost 
to  them  forever. 

"  Ach  !  how  very  unfortunate !  "  exclaimed  Caspar,  in 
a  vexed  tone,  when  they  had  finally  arrived  at  this  con- 
viction.    "  What  ill-starred  luck  we  have,  to  be  sure ! " 

"  Nay !  brother,"  remarked  Karl,  in  a  tone  of  reproval ; 
"  do  not  chide  Fortune  for  what  has  happened  just  now. 
I  acknowledge  it  is  a  great  misfortime ;  but  it  is  one  for 
which  we  may  justly  blame  ourselves,  and  only  ourselves. 
By  sheer  negligence  we  have  lost  the  kite,  and  along 
with  it,  perhaps,  the  last  chance  of  regaining  our  liberty." 

"  Yes,  you  speak  truly,"  rejoined  Caspar,  in  a  tone 
of  muigled  regret  and  resignation.  "  It  was  our  fault, 
and  we  must  suffer  for  it." 

"  But  are  you  quite  sure,  brother  Karl,"  resumed  he, 
after  a  pause,  and  referring  to  the  conversation  that  had 
already  passed  between  them,  —  "are  you  quite  sure 
there  are  no  more  of  these  j^aper-bearmg  trees  ? " 

"  Of  course,"  replied  the  plant-hunter,  "  I  am  not  pos- 


NO    MORE    PAPER-TREES.  237 

itive  —  though  I  fear  it  is  as  I  have  said  —  that  there 
are  no  more.  It  will  be  easy  for  us  to  determine  the 
point,  by  making  a  complete  exploration  of  the  valley. 
It  may  be  that  something  else  might  turn  up  which 
would  answer  the  purpose  equally  as  well.  There  is  a 
birch-tree  indigenous  to  the  Himalaya  mountains,  found 
both  in  Nepaul  and  Thibet.  Its  bark  can  be  stripped 
off  in  broad  flakes  and  layers,  to  the  number  of  eight 
or  ten,  —  each  almost  as  thin  as  common  paper,  and 
suitable  for  many  purjjoses  to  which  paper  is  usually 
applied." 

"  Do  you  think  it  would  do  for  a  kite  ? "  inquired 
Caspar,  without  waiting  for  Karl  to  finish  liis  explana- 
tion. 

"  I  am  sure  of  it,"  replied  the  botanist.  "  It  would 
serve  even  better  than  the  daphne  paper;  and  had  I 
believed  there  was  a  chance  of  finding  it  here,  I  should 
have  preferred  it  to  that.  But  I  do  not  think  we  shall 
find  it.  I  have  observed  no  species  of  birch ;  and  I 
know  that  this  one,  like  most  of  the  BetulacecE,  aifects  a 
much  colder  climate  than  there  is  in  this  valley.  Like- 
ly enough,  it  grows  on  the  mountains  above  ;  but  there 
it  is  out  of  our  reach.  Could  we  reach  it  there,  we 
should  not  need  to  be  robbing  it  of  its  manifold  envel- 
ope. But  let  us  not  despair,"  added  Kai-1,  endeavoring 
to  appear  cheerful  ;  "  perhaps  it  may  be  found  growing 
down  here ;  or,  if  not,  we  may  still  find  another  grove 
of  the  daphne  trees.     Let  us  proceed  on  and  search  !  " 

Karl  was  far  from  being  sanguine  in  either  conjec- 
ture ;  and  it  was  as  well  for  him  that  he  was  not :  for 
after  a  minute  and  careful  exploration  of  the  valley,  — 
which  occupied  nearly-  three  whole  days,  —  neither  the 


238  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

wislied-for  birch,  nor  the  desired  daphne  trees,  —  nor 
any  other  material  out  of  which  a  kite  might  by  manu- 
factured, —  rewarded  their  search. 

It  was  of  no  use,  therefore,  to  think  any  longer  of  a 
kite ;  and  the  subject  was  at  length  dismissed  from  their 
minds. 


AEROSTATICS.  239 


CHAPTER    XLIX. 

AEROSTATICS. 

It  is  scarce  possible  to  talk  of  a  paper  kite,  without 
thinking  of  that  other  and  greater  aerostatic  contrivance, 
—  a  balloon. 

Karl  had  thought  of  it,  long  before  this  time ;  and  so 
had  Caspar,  just  as  long :  for  the  kite  had  suggested  it 
simultaneously  to  the  minds  of  both. 

It  may  be  asked  why  they  had  not  entertained  the 
thought,  and  endeavored  to  carry  it  into  practical  effect : 
since  a  balloon  would  have  been  far  more  likely  to  have 
delivered  them  out  of  their  "  mountain  prison  "  than  a 
paper  kite  ? 

But  they  had  entertained  the  thought,  —  at  least, 
Karl  had  done  so,  —  and  examined  it  in  all  its  bearings. 
Caspar  had  permitted  it  to  pass  out  of  his  mind,  under 
the  impression  that  they  could  not  make  a  lalloon ;  and 
Karl  had  arrived  at  the  same  conclusion ;  but  only  from 
a  behef  that  they  had  not  tlie  materials  with  which  to 
make  one.  Given  the  materials,  Karl  felt  quite  equal 
to  the  construction  of  a  balloon,  —  a  rude  one,  it  is  true  ; 
but  one  which  might  have  served  the  purpose  for  which 
they  required  it. 

During  the  days  when  they  had  been  occupied  in 
making  the  paper  bird,  he  had  given  his  thoughts  a 
good  deal  to  this  subject ;  for,  to  say  the  truth,  he  had 


240  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

never  been  very  sanguine  about  the  success  of  the  kite 
experiment.  He  had  pondered  long  and  patiently  on 
the  subject  of  balloons,  —  endeavoring  to  recall  to  mind 
what  little  he  had  studied  of  aerostatics,  —  and  had 
mentally  examined  all  the  material  objects  within  reach, 
in  the  hope  of  discovering  some  substance  out  of  which 
one  might  be  constructed. 

Unfortunately,  he  had  not  been  able  to  think  of  any- 
thing that  appeared  to  be  suitable.  The  daphne  paper 
—  even  had  it  been  in  abundance  —  would  not  do  :  for 
paper  of  itself,  however  close  in  texture,  is  not  strong 
enough  to  withstand  the  pressure  of  the  outside  air,  — 
that  is,  in  a  balloon  of  sufficient  size  to  carry  any  consid- 
erable weight.  But  it  was  of  no  use  to  talk  of  paper : 
since  there  was  not  enough ;  and  Karl  had  given  over 
thinking  of  a  balloon  :  because  there  was  nothing  witliin 
reach  likely  to  serve  for  its  construction. 

He  knew  that  that  great  sphere  would  require  to  be 
air-proof.  He  had  thought  of  the  skins  of  animals  ;  but 
such  of  these  as  might  have  been  obtained  in  sufficient 
quantity  were  entirely  too  thick  and  heavy  to  make  the 
covering  of  a  balloon.  The  hemp,  of  which  there  was 
an  abundance,  might  be  woven  into  a  cloth,  and  then 
coated  over  by  gum  obtained  from  some  tree ;  for  in  the 
valley  were  several  species  of  gum-exudmg  trees.  But 
the  question  v.as,  could  they  mauufactui'e  a  cloth  out  of 
hemp  that  would  be  light  enough  when  thus  coated 
over  ?  It  was  very  doubtful  whether  they  could ;  at  all 
events,  they  would  have  to  practise  the  weaving  trade 
for  a  long  time,  before  they  should  arrive  at  a  sufficient 
expertness  to  accomplish  such  a  feat.  The  i:>lan  was 
too  unpromising  to  be  seriously  entertained ;  and  Karl 


AEROSTATICS.  241 

had  dismissed  it,  along  with  the  whole  subject  of  the 
balloon. 

That  had  been  previous  to  the  experiment  of  the  kite, 
and  its  unfortunate  ending.  But  now  that  all  hope  from 
this  quarter  had  been  brought  to  an  end,  the  balloon 
once  more  began  to  shape  itself  in  his  mind,  as  well  as 
in  that  of  Caspar ;  and  for  the  first  time  they  pi-oceeded 
to  talk  over  the  subject  together. 

"  Cords  we  could  have  in  plenty,"  remarked  Caspar, 
"  but  they  'd  be  of  no  use,  without  the  stuff  to  cover  the 
great  globe.     They  make  it  of  silk,  don't  they  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  replied  Karl,  "  silk  is  the  best  material  for  the 
purpose." 

"  And  why  ?  "  inquired  Caspar. 

"  Because  it  combines  the  three  properties  of  lightness, 
strength,  and  closeness  of  texture  in  a  greater  degi-ee 
than  any  other  known  substance." 

"  Would  nothing  else  do  ?  " 

"  O  yes  ;  many  things  would  answer  to  make  a  bal- 
loon, that  might  carry  up  a  certain  amount  of  weight. 
Even  a  paper  balloon  can  be  constructed  to  take  up  a 
few  pounds,  —  a  cat,  or  a  small  dog;  and  peojjle  in 
many  countries  have  been  cruel  enough  to  despatch 
such  creatures  into  the  air,  not  caring  what  became  of 
them." 

"Very  cruel  indeed!"  assented  Caspar,  who,  although 
a  hunter,  was  far  from  having  an  unfeeling  heart. 
"Such  people  should  be  sent  up  themselves  in  paper 
balloons." 

"  Yes,  if  paper  balloons  would  carry  them ;  which, 
unfortunately  for  us,  they  wouldn't.  Even  if  we  had 
an  unlimited  supply  of  paper,  it  would  be  of  no  use  to 

11  F 


242  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

U3.  We  require  something  stronger,  and  more  tena- 
cious." 

"  Can  we  not  think  of  something  ?  Let  us  try, 
Karl ! " 

"  Ah !  dear  brother,  I  have  been  trying  for  days,  and 
in  vain.  There  is  nothing  within  this  valley  at  aU  suit- 
able for  the  purpose." 

"  Would  canvas  do  ?     Have  you  thought  of  that  ?  " 

"  I  have.     It  would  be  too  coarse  and  heavy." 

"  But,  with  great  pains,  could  we  not  make  it  light 
enough  ?  We  might  choose  the  finer  fibres  of  the  hemp  ; 
and  spin  and  weave  it  with  scrupulous  care.  Ossaroo 
here  is  a  perfect  Ompliale  in  his  way.  I  '11  warrant  he 
could  beat  Hercules  with  the  distaff." 

"  Ho  !  brother  ! "  exclaimed  Karl,  a  little  astonished. 
"  You  are  quite  classical  in  your  speech  this  morning. 
Where  learnt  you  the  history  of  Hercules,  —  you  who 
have  never  seen  the  inside  of  a  University?  ' 

"  You  forget,  brother  Karl,  that  you  yourself  have 
been  my  instructor  in  these  classical  themes,  as  you  call 
them.  Though  I  must  tell  you  that,  with  the  exception 
of  their  occasionally  lending  a  little  ornament  to  my 
speech,  I  have  derived  not  the  slightest  advantage  from 
them ;  nor  is  it  likely  I  ever  shall." 

"  Well,  Caspar,"  answered  the  botanist,  "  I  am  not 
going  to  stand  up  for  the  classics,  as  you  are  well  aware. 
Although  I  have  taught  you  a  little  of  their  lore,  it  was 
when  I  had  nothing  to  do,  and  you  were  equally  idle ; 
otherwise  I  should  have  considered  that  both  of  us  were 
wasting  time.  You  already  know  my  opinions  on  tliat 
subject,  —  which  are:  that  a  knowledge  of  what  is  usually 
termed  '  the  classics '  is  of  about  as  much  use  to  a  rea- 


AEROSTATICS.  243 

soiling  man  as  might  be  an  equally  profound  knowledge 
of  Chinese  mnemonics.  The  time  I  have  spent  in  the 
study  of  the  dead  languages  has  been  sheer  waste  ;  and 
all  I  have  learnt  won't  raise  us  a  foot  higher  here.  My 
knowledge  of  Jupiter  and  Juno  is  not  likely  to  gain  us 
the  means  of  getting  out  of  our  difficulty,  no  more  than 
my  acquaintance  with  Mercury  will  help  me  to  a  pair  of 
wings.  So  a  truce  to  classical  ideas,  and  let  us  see 
whether  scientific  ones  may  not  serve  us  better  just  now. 
You  have  a  quick  invention,  brother  Caspar ;  can  you 
think  of  anything  —  I  mean  anything  within  our  reach  — 
that  would  make  the  air-bag  of  a  balloon  ?  " 

"  But  could  you  make  the  balloon,  if  you  had  the 
stuff?"  inquired  Caspar,  still  in  doubt  whether  any  other 
than  an  experienced  aeronaut  could  construct  so  won- 
derful a  machine. 

"  Pooh  ! "  replied  the  philosoi^her,  "  the  making  of  a 
balloon  is  almost  as  easy  as  making  a  soap-bubble.  Any 
air-tight  bag,  filled  with  heated  atmosphere,  becomes  a 
balloon.  The  question  is,  what  weight  it  can  be  made 
to  carry,  —  including  the  materials  out  of  which  it  may 
be  constructed." 

"  But  how  are  you  to  get  the  heated  air  into  it  ?  " 
"  Simply  by  making  a  fire  under  an  aperture  left  open 
below." 

"  But  would  not  this  air  soon  become  cold  again  ?  " 
"  Yes ;  and  then  the  balloon  would  sink  back  to  the 
earth  from  the  air  inside  getting  cooled,  and  becoming  as 
heavy  as  that  without.  Of  course,"  continued  the  phi- 
losopher, "  you  are  aware  that  heated  air  is  much  lighter 
than  the  ordinary  atmosphere  ;  and  that  is  why' a  balloon 
filled  with  the  former  rises,  and  will  continue  rising,  till 


244  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

it  lias  readied  that  elevation,  where  the  rarefied  atmos- 
phere is  as  light  as  the  heated  air.  Then  it  can  go  no 
farther,  and  the  weight  of  the  balloon  itself  will  bring  it 
down  again.  A  bladder  of  ordinary  air  sunk  in  water, 
or  a  corked  bottle,  wUl  illustrate  tliis  jioint  to  your  com- 
prehension." 

"  I  comprehend  it  well  enough,"  rejoined  Caspar, 
rather  piqued  at  being  treated  too  much  a  Venfant  by 
his  learned  brother.  "  But  I  thought  that,  in  a  balloon, 
it  was  necessary  to  keep  a  fire  constantly  burning,  —  a 
sort  of  grate  or  fii-e-basket  suspended  below.  Now,  even 
if  we  had  the  silk  to  make  the  great  spherical  bag,  how 
could  we  make  a  fire-basket  without  iron  ?  " 

"  We  should  not  need  the  fire-basket  you  speak  of. 
That  is  only  required  when  you  design  to  keep  your 
balloon  some  length  of  time  in  the  air.  If  you  only 
wish  to  make  a  short  ascent,  once  filling  the  bag  with 
hot  air  is  sufficient ;  as  it  would  be  for  us  here.  Even  if 
we  wanted  a  suspended  grate,  surely,  brother,  you  have 
enough  ingenuity  to  get  over  such  a  trifling  difficulty  as 
that  ?  " 

"  Well,  I  'm  not  so  sure  that  I  could.  How  would  you 
get  over  it  ?  " 

"  Why,  by  making  a  common  basket,  and  lining  it 
with  clay.  That  would  carry  fire,  as  well  as  a  vessel 
of  either  cast  or  wrought  iron,  —  at  least  sufficient  to 
serve  for  a  short  excursion  such  as  we  should  care 
to  make.  Now-a-days,  fire  is  not  used  for  inflating  bal- 
loons. Inflammable  gas  has  been  found  to  be  far  supe- 
rior for  this  purpose  ;  but  as  we  have  no  such  tiling  in 
stock,  we  should  have  to  jjroceed  on  the  old  original 
plan,  —  that  employed  by  the  brothers  Montgolfier,  the 
first  inventors  of  the  balloon." 


AEROSTATICS.  245 

"You  think,  then,  that  the  fire  apparatus  could  he 
dispensed  with,  if  we  could  only  discover  some  material 
that  would  make  the  great  globe-shaped  bag  to  contain 
the  heated  air  ?  " 

"  Ay,"  replied  Karl ;  "  think  of  something  to  do  that, 
and  I  promise  to  make  you  a  balloon." 

Thus  challenged,  Caspar  set  his  wits  to  work ;  and 
for  a  long  while  he  sat  in  silence,  as  if  buried  in  some 
very  profound  speculation.  Probably  there  was  no 
material  substance  in  that  valley  that  did  not  pass  in 
review  before  the  retina  of  his  mental  vision ;  and  all 
were  considered  in  turn. 

"  It  miTst  be  light,  air-tight,  and  strong  ?  "  asked  he, 
at  length,  as  if  there  was  something  in  his  thoughts  pos- 
sessing these  three  requisites. 

"  Light,  air-tight,  and  strong,"  answered  Karl,  simply 
repeating  his  words. 

"  The  two  last  I  am  sure  of,"  rejoined  Caspar.  "  Of 
the  first  only  have  I  my  doubts." 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  asked  Karl,  in  a  tone  that  betrayed  his 
interest  in  what  Caspar  had  said. 

"  Eel-skins ! "  was  the  laconic  answer. 


246  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBEKS. 


CHAPTER    L. 


THE    SKIN    BAXLOON. 


"Eel-skins,"  said  Caspar,  repeating  the  phrase,  as 
he  saw  that  Karl  hesitated  before  pronouncing  an  opin- 
ion.    "  Don't  you  think  they  would  do  ?  " 

Karl  had  it  on  the  tip  of  his  tongue  to  cry  out,  — 
"  The  very  thing ! "  but  something  withheld  him  from 
making  this  unqualified  declaration. 

"  They  might,  —  it  is  possible  they  might,"  said  he, 
apparently  debating  the  question  within  himself,  — "just 
possible  ;  and  yet  I  fear  —  " 

"  What  do  you  fear  ?  "  asked  Caspar. 

"  Do  you  think  they  would  not  be  strong  enough  ?  " 

"  Strong  enough,"  replied  Karl.  "  That 's  not  what  I 
fear." 

"  The  air  can't  pass  through  an  eel-skin  ?  " 

"No,  —  not  that." 

"  At  the  seams,  perhaps  ?  "We  can  stitch  them  neatly ; 
and  then  gum  them  over  at  the  joinings.  I  '11  warrant 
Ossaroo  can  sew  hke  a  shoemaker." 

The  shikaree  could  do  all  that.  Karl  knew  it.  It 
was  not  there  the  difficulty  lay. 

"  The  weight,  then  ?  "  pursued  Caspar  interrogatively. 

"  Precisely  that,"  answered  Karl ;  "  I  fear  they  will 
be  too  heavy.  Bring  one,  Ossaroo ;  and  let  us  have  a 
look  at  it." 


TlIK    SKIN    BALLOON.  247 

The  sliikaree  rose  from  his  seat ;  and  going  into  the 
hovel,  returned  presently,  —  bringing  back  with  him  a 
long  shrivelled  object,  which  any  one  could  tell  to  be  a 
dried  eel-skin. 

There  were  many  like  it  inside  :  for  they  had  carefully 
preserved  the  skins  of  the  eels  they  had  caught,  induced 
to  do  so  by  a  sort  of  presentiment  that  some  day  they 
might  find  a  use  for  them.  In  this  case  their  prudent 
providence  was  likely  to  prove  of  service  to  them. 

Karl  took  the  skin ;  and,  holding  it  out  on  the  palm 
of  his  hand,  appeared  to  make  an  estimate  of  its  weight. 
Caspar  watched  his  brother's  countenance,  and  waited 
to  hear  what  he  would  say  ;  but  Karl  only  expressed 
himself  by  a  doubtful  shake  of  the  head,  which  seemed 
to  show  that  his  opinion  was  against  the  eel-skins. 

"  They  might  be  made  much  lighter,  I  fancy,"  sug- 
gested Caspar :  "  scraping  would  do  a  deal  for  them ; 
and  by  the  way,  why  would  not  boiling  make  them  light 
enough  ?  It  would  take  all  the  fatty,  oily  substance  out 
of  them." 

"  There 's  something  in  what  you  say,"  rejoined  Karl, 
apparently  impressed  by  the  last  suggestion.  "  Boiling 
might  render  them  a  good  deal  lighter.  We  can  easily 
try  it." 

As  Karl  said  tliis,  he  proceeded  to  the  boiling  spring, 
and  plunged  the  eel-skin  under  the  water.  There  it 
was  permitted  to  remain  for  about  half  an  hour,  when  it 
was  taken  out ;  and,  after  being  scraped  with  the  blade 
of  a  knife,  was  spread  upon  a  rock,  under  the  sun,  where 
it  would  soon  get  thoroughly  dry. 

They  all  waited  patiently  for  the  completion  of  this 
process.     The  result  was  of  too  interesting  a  character 


248  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

to  allow  of  their  occupying  themselves  with  anything 

else. 

In  due  time  the  eel-skin  had  become  sufficiently  dry 
to  be  submitted  to  examination ;  and  Karl,  once  more 
taking  it  up,  baLanced  it  upon  his  palm. 

Tested,  even  in  this  inexact  fashion,  it  was  evidently 
much  lighter  than  before  ;  and,  by  the  gratified  look  with 
which  the  philosopher  regarded  it,  he  appeared  to  be 
much  better  satisfied  with  its  weight.  Still,  however,  he 
was  not  sanguine :  as  his  words  testified.  They  were 
almost  a  repetition  of  what  he  had  said  before. 

"  It  may  do,  —  it  is  just  possible.  At  all  events,  there 
can  be  no  harm  in  trying.     Let  us  try  it,  then." 

To  say,  "  Let  us  try  it,"  meant  the  same  as  to  say, 
"  Let  us  make  the  balloon."  The  others  understood 
that;  and,  of  course,  acquiesced  in  the  determination. 

As  there  was  nothing  to  interfere  with  the  immediate 
commencement  of  the  work,  they  resolved  to  set  about 
it  at  once ;  and,  in  fact,  did  set  about  it  without  further 
delay. 

The  number  of  eel-skins  on  hand,  though  very  con- 
siderable, would  not  be  near  enough  for  covering  a 
balloon ;  and  therefore  Ossaroo  went  to  work  with  his 
hooks  and  lines  to  catch  a  few  hundreds  more.  Karl 
was  able  to  tell  how  many  it  would  take ;  or  he  could, 
at  least,  make  an  estimate  sufficiently  exact  for  the  pur- 
pose. He  designed  a  balloon  of  twelve  feet  diameter : 
for  he  knew  that  one  of  less  size  would  not  have  power 
enough  to  carry  up  the  weight  of  a  man.  Of  course, 
Karl  knew  how  to  calculate  the  surface  of  a  sphere 
whose  diameter  should  be  twelve  feet.  He  had  only  to 
midtiply   the  diameter  on    the    circumference;    or   the 


THE    SKIN    BALLOON.  249 

square  of  the  diameter  on  the  fixed  number  3.1416  ;  or 
find  the  convex  surface  of  the  circumscribing  cylinder ; 
or  else  find  four  times  the  area  of  a  great  circle  of  the 
said  sphere.  Any  one  of  these  methods  would  give  him 
the  correct  result. 

On  making  the  calculation,  he  foimd  that  a  sphere  of 
12  feet  diameter  would  have  a  surface  of  452  square 
feet,  witliin  a  trifling  fraction.  Therefore,  452  square 
feet  of  eel-skins  would  be  required  to  cover  it.  In  other 
words,  that  quantity  would  be  required  to  make  the 
balloon. 

As  the  eels  happened  to  be  of  large  size,  —  most  of 
them  being  over  a  yard  in  length,  and  full  four  inches  in 
average  girth,  —  the  skin  of  one,  when  spread  out,  woidd 
yield  about  a  square  foot  of  surface.  Takmg  large  and 
small  together,  and  allowing  for  waste,  —  the  heads  and 
tails  that  would  have  to  be  chopped  off, —  Karl  calcu- 
lated that  he  would  get  nearly  a  square  foot  each  out  of 
the  eels ;  and  that  about  five  hundred  skins  would  make 
the  balloon  bag.  But  as  they  would  have  to  be  cut  occa- 
sionally with  a  slant,  in  order  to  get  the  globe  shape, 
perhaps  a  few  more  would  be  needed;  and,  therefore, 
Ossaroo  was  to  keep  his  baits  in  the  water  until  the 
requisite  number  of  eels  should  be  hooked  out  of  it. 

Ossaroo  had  another  department  assigned  to  him  be- 
sides catching  the  fish ;  and  one  that  took  up  more  of 
his  time:  since  the  baiting  of  the  hooks  and  looking 
after  them  required  only  his  occasional  attention.  Spin- 
ning the  thread  by  which  the  skins  were  to  be  sewed 
together  was  a  much  more  delicate  operation :  since  in 
these  both  strength  and  fineness  were  absolutely  neces- 
sary. But  as  Caspar  had  said,  Ossaroo  was  an  adept 
11* 


250  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

with  the  distaif ;  and  several  large  skeins  of  the  finest 
twist  were  soon  tvirned  off  from  his  nimble  fingers- 

Wlien  enough  thread  had  been  thus  produced,  Ossaroo 
proceeded  to  making  the  cords  and  stronger  ropes  that 
would  be  needed  for  attaching  the  "  boat,"  —  as  well  as 
to  hold  the  balloon  in  its  place  while  being  got  ready 
for  its  ascent. 

Caspar's  employment  was,  —  first,  the  skinning  of  the 
eels ;  and  afterwards  the  scraping,  boiling,  and  drying 
of  the  skins  ;  while  Karl,  who  acted  as  engineer-in-chief, 
besides  giving  a  general  superintendence  to  the  work, 
occupied  himself  in  imparting  the  final  dressing  to  the 
material  and  cutting  it  into  such  shapes  that  it  could  be 
closely  and  conveniently  stitched  together. 

Karl  had  also  made  an  excursion  into  the  forest,  and 
brought  back  with  him  large  quantities  of  a  gum,  which 
he  had  extracted  from  a  tree  of  the  genus  Jicus,  —  a  sort 
of  caoutchouc,  —  which  is  yielded  by  many  species  of 
Jicus  in  the  forests  of  the  Lower  Himalayas.  Karl  had 
gone  in  search  of  this  substance,  becavise  he  knew  it 
would  be  required  for  paying  the  seams  and  rendering 
them  air-tight. 

When  they  had  pursued  their  various  avocations  for 
about  a  week,  it  was  thought  that  material  enough  of 
every  kind  was  collected  and  made  ready ;  and  then  Os- 
saroo was  set  to  stitching.  Fortunately,  they  were  pro- 
vided with  needles :  for  these  had  formed  a  part  of  the 
accoutrement  of  the  plant-hunters  when  originally  start- 
ing upon  their  expedition. 

As  neither  Karl  nor  Caspar  had  any  experience  in 
handling  such  sharp  tools,  the  sewing  had  all  to  be  done 
by  Ossaroo  ;  and  it  took  another  full  week  to  accomplish 
this  Sartorean  task. 


THE    SKIN   BALLOON.  251 

At  the  end  of  that  time  it  was  fully  accomplished  and 
complete ;  and  the  huge  bag  was  ready  to  receive  its 
coat  of  gum  varnish.  A  day  sufficed  for  "  paying  "  ;  and 
nothing  more  remained  but  to  attach  the  "boat,"  or 
"  car,"  that  was  to  carry  them  aloft  in.  their  daring  flight 
into  the  "  azure  fields  of  air." 


252  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 


CHAPTER    LI. 

MAKING  READY   FOR   THE   ASCENT. 

Karl  was  the  only  one  of  the  three  who  knew  any- 
tliing  about  a  balloon,  or  the  mode  of  inflating  it.  Had 
it  been  their  intention  of  navigating  the  air,  an  apparatus 
would  have  been  requii-ed  to  carry  up  a  fire.  This 
Karl  could  easily  have  contrived.  A  basket  of  wicker- 
work,  as  he  had  said,  well  lined  with  clay,  would  have 
answered  the  purpose  after  a  fashion ;  but  as  they  did 
not  intend  to  use  the  balloon  for  any  purpose  beyond 
making  the  single  ascent  to  lift  them  over  the  cliffs,  a 
continuous  fire  would  not  be  required.  The  first  infla- 
tion would  answer  that  end  well  enough ;  and  therefore 
a  grate  or  fire-basket  was  not  thought  of. 

The  car  to  carry  the  passengers  —  or  boat,  as  it  is 
sometimes  styled :  since,  for  reasons  easily  understood,  it 
is  usually  a  boat  —  was  quite  another  affair ;  and  had  it 
been  designed  for  more  than  a  mere  temporary  use, 
would  have  taken  a  considerable  time  in  the  making ; 
but  for  what  they  wanted  almost  anything  would  serve  ; 
and  all  that  they  intended  employing  was  a  sort  of  wicker 
basket  or  deep  hamper,  suspended  by  stout  ropes.  This 
had  been  already  prepared  ;  and  only  needed  to  be  at- 
tached to  the  bottom  of  the  air-bag. 

In  the  present  case,  the  "  bottom  of  the  bag  "  is  quite 
a  figure   of  speech,  —  lucus   a   non  lucendo.     Strictly 


MAKING    READY    FOR    THE    ASCENT.  253 

speaking,  it  had  no  bottom  ;  but,  where  this  should  have 
been,  there  was  a  round  aperture,  formed  by  a  stout 
hoop  of  ringall  bamboo,  to  which  the  skin  covering  was 
lashed,  and  to  which,  also,  the  cords  intended  to  sustain 
the  aforementioned  basket,  as  also  the  staj-ropes,  were 
to  be  attached. 

The  object  of  this  aperture  wOl  be  easily  understood. 
It  was  by  it  that  the  hot  air  was  to  be  admitted  iuside 
the  balloon,  for  the  purpose  of  inflating  it. 

And  how  was  this  hot  air  to  be  obtained  ?  That  was 
a  question  which  Karl  alone  could  answer.  Of  course, 
fire  was  to  be  the  agent  for  producing  it :  but  how  was 
it  to  be  got  mto  the  bag  ?  Karl  could  tell  that,  and  Karl 
only ;  and,  now  that  the  time  had  arrived  for  trying  the 
experiment,  he  condescended  to  explain  to  his  coadjutors 
how  he  meant  to  proceed. 

The  bag  was  to  be  propped  up  between  tall  stakes  set 
ill  the  ground  ;  its  bottomless  bottom  turned  towards  the 
earth,  so  that  the  aperture  would  be  below.  Under  this 
a  fire  was  to  be  kindled,  —  not,  however,  until  every- 
thing else  should  be  ready ;  and  the  hot  air  rising  up 
into  the  aperture  would  enter  the  balloon,  and  cause  it 
to  swell  out  to  its  full  globular  dimensions.  More  hot 
air  being  admitted,  the  cooler  atmosphere  within  would 
be  expelled,  the  balloon  would  become  lighter  than  the 
surrounding  air,  and  by  the  simple  principle  of  atmo- 
spheric pressure  it  would  ascend  into  the  air.  It  was 
expected  it  would  do  so,  —  it  was  hoped  it  would. 

To  say  the  truth,  the  hopes  of  the  engineer  were  far 
from  being  high,  —  his  expectations  anything  but  san- 
guine. He  had  observed  all  along,  that,  notwithstanding 
the  process  employed  for  lightening  the  eel-skins,  they 


254  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

were  still  far  heavier  than  silk  ;  and  perhaps,  after  all, 
the  experiment  might  not  succeed.  There  was  another 
circnmstance  that  had  as  much  xoeifjTit  on  the  mind  of 
Karl  as  the  eel-skins ;  and  that  was  quite  as  likely  to 
have  a  hearing  upon  the  balloon.  He  had  not  over- 
looked the  fact,  that  the  spot,  from  which  they  proposed 
making  the  ascent,  was  nearly  ten  thousand  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea.  He  knew  that  the  atmosphere  in 
sucli  a  situation  would  be  extremely  rarefied,  and  that  a 
balloon,  which  might  easily  ascend  many  thousand  feet 
into  the  air  starting  from  the  level  of  the  sea,  would  not 
stir  from  the  ground  if  carried  to  the  top  of  a  mountain 
ten  thousand  feet  high.  Tliis  was  the  circumstance 
which  preyed  upon  the  spirit  of  the  young  philosopher, 
and  hindered  him  from  entertaining  any  very  sanguine 
hopes  of  success  in  the  experiment  they  were  making. 

The  philosophical  truth  had  been  before  his  mind 
from  the  first,  and  at  times  had  almost  determined  him 
to  abandon  the  project.  But  as  he  was  not  sufficiently 
acquainted  with  the  laws  of  aerostation  as  to  be  certain 
of  failure,  he  had  worked  on  with  the  determination  to 
seek  success,  though  it  must  be  acknowledged  with  but 
faint  hopes  of  finding  it. 

Thus  stood  matters  on  the  morning  when  it  was 
finally  arranged  to  launch  their  great  aerial  ship,  and 
ascertain  whether  it  would  swim. 

All  things  were  made  ready  at  an  early  hour.  The 
huge  bag  was  set  up  between  the  supporting  stakes ; 
the  car  was  attached  to  it,  as  also  several  ropes  to  keep 
the  balloon  from  being  carried  away;  and  these  were 
fastened  at  their  other  ends  to  stout  pegs,  driven  firmly 
into  the  ground ;  while  a  little  furnace  of  stones  wa3 


MAKING    REAPY    FOR    THE    ASCENT.  255 

built  underneath  to  hold  the  fire,  whose  ascending  calo- 
ric was  to  expand  the  balloon,  and  raise  it  into  the  air. 

The  fuel  out  of  which  this  fire  was  to  be  made  had 
been  already  collected  near  the  spot.  It  was  not  wood, 
nor  fagots  of  any  kind ;  for  although  these  might  have 
served  after  a  fashion,  Karl  was  acquainted  with  a  bet- 
ter material.  He  remembered  that  the  Montgolfiers, 
and  other  early  aerostats,  —  previous  to  the  introduction 
of  the  inflammable  gas,  —  had  used  chopped  straw  and 
wool,  and  regarded  these  materials  to  be  the  best  siab- 
stances  for  inflating  their  balloons.  Karl  had  adopted 
their  idea,  and  had  provided  chopped  grass  as  a  substi- 
tute for  the  chopped  straw,  and  in  lieu  of  sheep's  wool 
he  had  procured  a  quantity  of  the  poshm  of  the  ibex, 
and  other  animals,  that  had  been  killed,  —  the  rich 
shawl-wool  of  Cashmere ! 

The  car,  which  has  already  been  described  as  a  sort 
of  deep  hamper,  was  not  over  three  feet  in  diameter. 
It  was  evidently  not  equal  to  the  holding  of  three  per- 
sons, —  to  say  nothing  of  a  large  dog,  —  for  it  is  hardly 
necessary  to  say  that  Fritz  was  not  going  to  be  left  be- 
hind. The  faithful  creature  had  too  long  followed  the 
fortunes  of  our  adventurers  to  be  abandoned  by  them 
now. 

But  there  was  not  the  slightest  dansrer  of  that.  The 
dimensions  of  the  car  were  large  enough  for  what  the 
"  vehicle  "  was  intended  to  carry,  which  was  only  one. 

Karl  believed  that  there  would  be  little  chance  of  the 
balloon  having  sufficient  power  to  take  up  all  three  of 
them,  their  united  weight  being  over  four  hundred 
pounds.  He  would  be  but  too  contented  if  one  should 
be  carried  aloft ;  and  if  that  one  should  succeed  in  effect- 


256  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

ing  a  landing  on  the  summit  of  the  cliff,  it  was  of  no  im- 
portance what  afterwards  became  of  the  aerial  ship. 
Having  completed  that  one  voyage,  it  might  make 
another  on  its  own  account,  —  either  south  to  Calcutta, 
or  eastward  to  Hong  Kong,  if  it  liked  China  better. 

Of  course,  if  any  one  of  them  should  succeed  in  sur- 
mounting the  cliff,  it  would  be  an  easy  matter  to  get 
over  the  mountain ;  and  as  they  had  passed  native  vil- 
lages on  their  way  upwai'd,  these  could  be  reached  in  a 
day  or  two,  and  a  party  of  men,  with  a  proper  rope- 
ladder,  brought  to  the  rescue  of  the  others. 

Even  had  there  been  no  prospect  of  assistance  from 
any  one  outside,  it  would  not  matter  very  much.  If  only 
one  of  them  could  get  to  the  top  of  the  cliffs,  they  could 
construct  a  rope-ladder  of  themselves,  —  by  which  the 
other  two  would  be  able  to  make  the  ascent. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  who  was  to  make  the 
attempt,  —  Ossaroo  was  to  be  the  aeronaut.  Ossaroo 
had  voluntarily  offered  himself  for  this  perilous  per- 
formance ;  and  his  offer  had  been  accepted. 

Not  that  either  of  the  others  were  at  all  afraid  to 
have  run  the  risk.  It  was  from  no  desire  to  shirk  the 
danger  that  they  had  appointed  Ossaroo  to  undertake  it ; 
but  simply  because,  once  outside,  the  shikaree  would  be 
far  better  able  to  find  liis  way  down  the  mountains :  and 
in  his  native  language  could  readily  communicate  with 
the  villagers,  and  give  a  correct  account  of  their  situa- 
tion. 


INFLATION   AND    FAILURE.  257 


CHAPTER    LII. 


INFLATION    AND    FAILURE. 


At  length  arrived  the  hour  for  making  that  important 
experiment,  —  as  to  whether  their  aerial  ship  would 
prove  herself  air-worthy. 

All  three  stood  around  the  spot  where  the  chopjjed 
grass  and  shawl-wool  were  to  be  set  on  fire.  This  fuel 
itself  appeared  underneath,  —  in  a  little  heap  lightly 
laid,  and  ready  for  the  touch  of  the  tinder. 

Karl  had  a  piece  of  blazing  torch  in  liis  hand ;  Cas- 
par held  one  of  the  stay-ropes,  to  j^revent  the  balloon 
from  rising  too  rapidly ;  while  Ossaroo,  equipped  as  if 
for  a  journey,  stood  by  the  hamper,  in  readiness,  when 
the  proper  time  should  arrive,  to  "  pack  "  himself  into  it. 

Alas!  for  the  frailty  of  all  human  foresight!  The 
most  careful  calculations  often  prove  erroneous,  —  not 
that  in  the  present  instance  there  was  any  unibreseen 
error :  for  from  the  very  first  Karl  had  been  distrustful 
of  his  data ;  and  they  were  now  to  disappoint,  rather 
than  deceive  him. 

It  was  not  written  in  the  book  of  destiny  that  Ossaroo 
should  ever  set  foot  in  that  wicker  car ;  or  ever  make 
an  ascent  by  that  balloon. 

The  torch  was  applied  to  the  chopped  grass  and 
shawl-wool.  Both  blazed  and  smoked,  and  smouldered ; 
and,  more  being  thrown  on,  the  blaze  was  kept  up  con- 


258  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

tinuously.  The  heated  air  ascended  through  the  aper- 
ture, causing  the  great  sjihere  of  stitched  skins  to  swell 
out  to  its  full  dimensions. 

It  trembled  and  rocked  from  side  to  side,  like  some 
huge  monster  in  pain.  It  rose  to  the  height  of  a  feW 
inches  from  the  ground,  sank,  and  then  rose  again,  sank 
once  more,  and  so  kept  on  rising  and  sinking  and  bob- 
bing about,  but,  alas  !  never  exhibiting  sufficient  ascend- 
ing power  to  raise  the  hamper  even  as  high  as  their 
heads ! 

Karl  continued  to  feed  the  furnace  with  the  chopped 
grass  and  poshm,  but  all  to  no  purpose.  The  air  within 
was  sufficiently  heated  to  have  raised  it  for  miles,  —  had 
they  only  been  as  low  as  the  sea-level  and  the  balloon 
constructed  of  lighter  materials. 

As  it  was,  aU  their  effiDrts  were  in  vain.  The  gigantic 
globe  could  not  be  raised  above  six  feet  from  the  ground. 
It  had  not  power  enough  to  carry  up  a  cat,  —  much  less 
a  man.  Li  short,  it  was  a  failure,  —  one  more  added  to 
the  long  list  of  their  dark  disappointments  ! 

For  more  than  an  hour  Karl  continued  to  keep  his  fire 
ablaze.  He  even  tried  fagots  of  the  resinous  pine :  in 
hopes  that  by  obtaining  a  greater  strength  of  caloric  he 
might  still  succeed  in  causing  the  balloon  to  soar  up- 
ward ;  but  there  was  no  perceptible  diffiirence  in  the 
effect.  It  bobbed  about  as  before,  but  still  obstinately 
refused  to  ascend. 

At  length,  with  patience  exhausted  and  hopes  com- 
pletely crushed,  the  engineer  turned  away  from  the  ma- 
chine which  he  had  taken  so  much  pains  in  constructing. 
For  a  moment  he  stood  irresolute.  Then  heaving  a  sigh 
at  the  recollection  of  his  wasted  labor,  with  sad,  slow 


IL  wius  a  failiuv, —  one  more  aiUk-d  to  Uie  loiiy  lisl  of  tlifir  (lark  (lisii[ii)oiiitnients. 

P.  258. 


INFLATION    AND    FAILURE.  259 

step  he  departed  from  the  spot.  Caspar  soon  followed 
him,  —  fully  participating  in  the  feeling  of  grievous  dis- 
appointment. Ossaroo  took  leave  of  the  inflated  monster 
in  a  different  fashion.  Drawing  near  to  it,  he  stood  for 
some  seconds  contemplating  it  in  silence,  —  as  if  reflect- 
ing on  the  vast  amount  of  seam  he  had  stitched  to  no 
purpose.  Then  uttering  a  native  ejaculation,  coupled 
with  a  phrase  that  meant  to  say,  "  No  good  either  for 
the  earth,  the  water,  or  the  air,"  he  raised  his  foot, 
kicked  the  balloon  in  the  side  with  such  violence  that 
the  toe  of  his  sandals  burst  a  hole  in  the  distended  eel- 
skins,  and,  turning  scornfully  away,  left  the  worthless 
machine  to  take  care  of  itself. 

This  task,  however,  it  proved  ill-adapted  to  accom- 
plish :  for  the  disappointed  aeronauts  had  not  been  gone 
many  minutes  from  the  ground,  when  the  heated  air 
inside,  which  had  for  some  time  been  gradually  growing 
cooler,  reached  at  length  so  low  a  temperature,  that  the 
great  sphere  began  to  collapse  and  settle  down  upon  the 
embers  of  the  pine  fagots  still  glowing  red  underneath. 
The  consequence  was  that  the  inflammable  skins,  cords, 
and  woodwork  coming  in  contact  with  the  fire,  began  to 
burn  like  so  much  tinder.  The  flames  ran  upward,  lick- 
ing the  oily  eel-skins  like  the  tongues  of  fiery  serpents  ; 
and  when  the  ci-devant  aeronauts  looked  back  from  the 
door  of  their  hut,  they  jDerceived  that  the  balloon  was 
ablaze ! 

Had  the  accident  occurred  two  hours  before,  they 
would  have  looked  upon  it  as  the  saddest  of  calamities. 
Now,  however,  they  stood  regarding  the  burning  of  that 
abandoned  balloon  with  as  much  indifference  as  is  said 
to  have  been  exhibited  by  Nero,  while  contemplating  the 
conflagration  of  the  seven-hilled  city ! 


260  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBEES. 


CHAPTER    LIII. 

ANOTHER    SPELL    OF    DESPAIR. 

Never,  during  all  the  days  of  their  sojourn  in  that 
"  Valley  of  Despond,"  did  our  adventurers  feel  more 
despondence,  than  on  the  afternoon  that  succeeded  the 
bursting  of  their  great  air-bubble,  —  the  balloon.  They 
felt  that  in  tliis  effort  they  had  exhausted  all  their  inge- 
nuity ;  and  so  firmly  were  they  convinced  of  its  being 
the  last,  that  no  one  thought  about  making  another. 
The  spirits  of  all  three  were  prostrate  in  the  dust,  and 
seemed  at  length  to  have  surrendered  to  despair. 

Of  course  it  was  not  that  sort  of  despair  which  takes 
possession  of  one  conscious  of  coming  and  certain  death. 
It  was  far  from  being  so  dire  as  this ;  but  for  all  it  was  a 
bitter  feeling.  Tliey  knew  they  could  continue  to  Uve, 
perhaps  as  long  there  as  elsewhere  upon  the  earth ;  but 
what  would  life  be  worth  to  them,  cut  off  from  all  com- 
munication with  the  world?  —  for  now,  to  the  fulness 
of  conviction,  did  they  believe  themselves  thus  isolated. 

In  disposition,  not  one  of  the  three  had  the  slightest 
particle  of  the  hermit.  Not  one  of  them  but  would 
have  shuddered  at  the  thought  of  becoming  a  Simon 
Stylites.  You  might  suppose  that,  with  books  and  Na- 
ture to  study,  Karl  could  have  made  shift.  True,  with 
such  companions  he  might  have  lived  a  less  kksome  life 
than  either  of  the  others ;  but  even  with  these  to  occupy 


ANOTHER    SPELL    OF    DESPAIR.  261 

him,  it  is  doubtful  whether  Karl  could  have  passed  the 
time;  for  it  is  not  very  certain  that  a  man  —  knowing 
himself  alone  in  the  world,  and  forever  to  be  alone  — • 
would  care  either  for  the  books  of  men  or  the  book  of 
Nature. 

As  for  Caspar,  the  thought  that  their  lonely  existence 
was  to  be  perpetual,  was  enough  at  times  to  send  the 
blood  rushing  coldly  through  his  veins. 

The  Hindoo  felt  the  afihction  as  much  as  either  of  his 
companions  in  misfortune ;  and  sighed  as  much  for  liis 
bamboo  hut  on  the  hot  plains  of  Hindostan,  as  they  for 
their  home  in  the  far  fatherland  of  Bavaria. 

It  is  true  their  situation  was  not  so  bad  as  if  each  had 
been  left  alone  by  himself.  Many  a  poor  castaway 
upon  a  desert  island  has  been  condemned  to  a  far  more 
unhappy  fate.  They  knew  and  acknowledged  this.  Each 
had  the  other  two  for  companions ;  but  as  they  reflected 
thus,  they  could  not  hinder  their  thoughts  from  casting 
forward  into  the  future,  —  perhaps  not  distant,  —  when 
one  of  them  might  leave  that  valley  without  the  aid  of 
either  rope-ladders  or  balloons ;  and  then  another,  — 
leaving  the  last  of  the  three  lonely  and  forlorn  ! 

With  such  sad  reflections  did  they  pass  the  evening 
of  that  day,  and  the  morning  and  evening  of  that  which 
followed.  They  took  no  heed  of  time ;  and  could  scarce 
summon  sufiicient  energy  to  cook  their  frugal  meals. 
The  spirit  to  plan,  and  the  energy  to  act,  seemed  both 
to  have  departed  from  them  at  once  and  forever. 

This  state  of  things  could  not  long  continue.  As  al- 
ready said,  the  soul  of  man  holds  within  itself  a  power 
of  resuscitation.  So  long  as  it  continues  to  live,  it  may 
hope  to  recover  from  the  heaviest  blow.    Broken  hearts 


262  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

are  more  apparent  than  real ;  and  even  those  that  are 
worst  shattered  have  their  intervals  in  which  they  are 
restored  to  a  perfect  soundness.  The  slave  in  his  chains, 
the  prisoner  within  his  dark  dungeon,  the  castaway  on 
his  desert  isle,  all  have  their  hours  of  joy,  —  perhaps 
as  vivid  and  lasting  as  those  of  the  king  upon  his  throne, 
or  the  conqueror  in  his  car  of  triumph. 

On  earth  there  is  no  happiness  unmingled  with  alloy ; 
and,  perhaps,  there  is  no  sorrow  that  may  not  in  time 
find  solace. 

On  the  second  day  succeeding  their  last  great  disap- 
pointment, the  spirits  of  all  three  began  to  revive ;  and 
those  natural  wants,  —  which,  whether  we  will  or  not, 
force  themselves  upon  our  attention,  —  commenced  to 
claim  their  consideration. 

Karl  was  the  first  to  recognize  these  necessities.  If 
they  were  to  live  there  for  life,  he  reasoned,  —  and  this 
seemed  no  longer  a  doubtful  supposition,  —  it  would  be 
of  no  use  giving  way  to  despondency,  —  moping  out 
their  days  like  mutes  at  a  funeral.  Better  far  to  lead  an 
active  life  ;  and  live  well  too,  —  by  providing  plenty  to 
eat  and  plenty  to  drink,  —  which  with  industry  they 
could  easily  do.  All  this  might  not  make  them  cheer- 
ful ;  but  they  would  certainly  be  less  a  prey  to  melan- 
choly while  engaged  in  some  active  industry,  than  if  they 
remained  brooding  over  their  fate. 

These  thoughts,  as  we  have  said,  arose  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  second  day  succeeding  that  on  which  the  bal- 
loon had  been  abandoned.  Karl  gave  words  to  them, 
in  an  attempt  to  cheer  his  brother  Caspar,  —  who  had 
relapsed  into  a  state  of  unusual  despondency.  Ossaroo 
equally  required  cheering ;  and  therefore  it  devolved  on 


ANOTHER    SPELL    OF    DESPAIR.  203 

the  botanist  to  attempt  enlivening  the  spirits  of  his  com- 
panions. 

For  a  time,  he  met  with  very  slight  success  ;  but 
gradually  the  necessity  of  action  forced  itself  upon  the 
attention  of  all,  —  if  only  to  provide  the  means  to  keep 
them  from  starving ;  and  without  further  loss  of  time, 
they  resumed  the  various  branches  of  industry  by  which 
they  had  hitherto  been  enabled  to  supply  their  larder. 

To  Caspar,  as  before,  the  chase  was  intrusted ;  while 
Ossaroo  attended  to  the  fishing  ;  as  he,  better  than  either 
of  the  others,  understood  the  management  of  hooks, 
lines,  and  nets. 

The  botanist  busied  himself  in  the  old  way,  exploring 
the  valley,  in  search  of  such  seeds,  plants,  and  roots  as 
might  be  found  wholesome  for  food,  —  not  neglecting 
others  of  a  medicinal  character,  that  might  serve  in  case 
of  sickness.  Many  such  had  the  young  plant-hunter 
encountered  during  liis  early  researches  ;  and  had  made 
note  of  them  against  the  possibility  of  their  being  re- 
quired. 

Fortunately,  up  to  that  time  there  had  been  no  great 
need  for  any  of  the  party  to  make  trial  of  the  natui'al 
Pharmacopoeia  which  the  valley  aflforded  ;  and  it  was  to 
be  hoped  they  should  never  have  occasion  to  test  the 
virtues  of  the  siDecifics  which  the  plant-hunter  had  dis- 
covered. Karl  nevertheless  collected  several  kinds ; 
and,  after  submitting  them  to  a  process  necessary  for 
their  preservation,  had  stored  them  away  within  the  hut. 

Of  those  vegetable  products  adapted  for  food,  the 
chief  article  obtained  was  the  nutritive  seed  yielded  by 
the  edible  pine  (Pinus  Gerardiana).  The  cones  of  this 
valuable  tree  were  as  large  as  artichokes ;  each  yielding 


264  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

several  seeds  of  the  size  and  appearance  of  pistachio 
nuts. 

The  wild  cockscomb  (Amaranthus  cnientus)  also  fur- 
nished a  portion  of  their  supply.  Its  seeds  when 
parched,  and  crushed  between  two  stones,  i^roducofl  a 
kind  of  meal,  of  which  cakes  of  bread  were  manufactured 
by  Ossaroo.  These,  although  very  far  inferior  to  the 
real  home-bake,  or  even  to  the  most  ordinary  produc- 
tion of  the  bakehouse,  were  nevertheless  sufficiently 
palateable  to  those  who  had  no  other  bread. 

The  lake,  besides  yielding  fish  to  the  nets  of  Ossaroo, 
also  afforded  a  supply  of  vegetables.  On  searching  it, 
the  botanist  discovered  several  edible  kinds  of  plants ; 
among  others  the  curious  Trapa  hicornis,  or  hoi'ned 
water-nut,  —  known  among  the  natives  of  the  Himalayan 
countries  by  the  name  Singara,  and  much  used  by  them 
as  an  article  of  wholesome  food. 

There  was  also  a  splendid  water-lily,  —  with  very 
broad  leaves  and  hirge  flowers  of  pink  and  white  color, 
• —  the  seeds  and  the  stalks  of  which  Karl  knew  to  be 
edible  ;  as  he  had  read  of  their  being  used  for  this  pur- 
pose by  the  poorer  peojjle  in  the  country  of  Cashmeer. 
The  lily  in  question,  namely,  the  Nelumbiiim  speciosum, 
grows  plentifully  in  the  lakes  of  the  far-famed  valley  so 
named. 

On  first  observing  this  beautiful  plant  growing  lux- 
uriantljs  as  it  was,  in  their  own  little  valley  lake,  Karl 
took  occasion  to  inform  his  brother  —  Ossaroo  at  the 
same  time  listening  attentively  to  his  statement  —  of  the 
various  uses  made  of  it  by  the  inhabitants  of  Cashmeer. 
How  the  boys  sailing  about  in  their  boats  when  the  day 
chances  to  be  very  hot,  are  in  the  habit  of  plucking  one 


ANOTHER    SPELL    OF    DESPAIR.  265 

of  its  large  shining  leaves  out  of  the  water,  and  spread- 
ing it  over  their  crowns,  to  protect  them  from  the  fervid 
rays  of  the  sun ;  and  how  the  petiole  of  the  leaf,  being 
hollow  inside,  serves  them  as  a  tube  for  drinking  out  of. 
Many  such  interesting  particulars,  in  regard  to  the  econ- 
omy of  this  fine  aquatic  plant,  did  the  young  botanist 
communicate  to  his  companions ;  but  none  more  inter- 
esting than  the  fact  that  both  its  seeds  and  stalks  are 
edible  :  since  this  promised  them  additional  security 
against  the  danger  of  running  short  in  their  supply  of 
vegetable  food. 


12 


266  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 


CHAPTER    LIV. 

THE    BEAJf    OF    PYTHAGORAS. 

The  discovery  of  the  water-lily  was  not  a  thing  of 
recent  occurrence.  They  had  known  of  its  existence 
before  ;  and  moi'e  than  once  had  visited  the  little  em- 
bayment  in  the  lake,  where  it  chiefly  grew.  In  fact,  it 
had  attracted  their  attention  a  few  days  after  their  first 
arrival  in  the  valley,  —  not  by  its  own  conspicuousness, 
for  its  broad  round  leaves,  spread  horizontally  upon  the 
surface,  could  scarce  be  seen  from  the  shore.  Only 
when  its  beautiful  pink-white  flowers  were  in  bloom, 
could  it  be  observed  at  any  great  distance. 

That  which  had  first  led  them  to  approach  the  place 
where  it  grew,  and  examine  the  plant,  was  their  having 
noticed  a  singular  phenomenon  connected  with  it ;  and 
which  for  a  while  had  puzzled  all  three  of  them  to  ex- 
plain. 

The  bed  of  lilies,  at  that  time  in  full  bloom,  was 
visible  from  the  place  where  they  had  originally  made 
their  encampment ;  and  every  morning,  just  after  day- 
break, and  sometimes  also  during  the  day,  they  were  in 
the  habit  of  seeing  some  birds  disporting  themselves 
near  that  place  in  a  singular  manner,  —  very  singular 
indeed :  since  these  birds  appeared  to  walk  upon  the 
water  ! 

They  were  tall,  long-legged,  slender-bodied  creatures, 


THE    BEAN    OF    PYTHAGORAS.  267 

and  easily  distinguisliefl  by  both  Karl  and  Caspar  as 
belonging  to  the  family  of  RulUdce,  or  water-heus. 

There  could  be  no  doubt  that  they  were  walking  on 
the  water,  —  sometimes  slowly,  at  other  times  in  a  quick 
run,  —  and,  what  was  even  more  unaccountable  than 
this,  they  were  seen  at  times  to  stand  still  upon  the 
water!  Ay,  and,  what  might  be  considered  more  sur- 
prising still,  they  performed  this  aquatic  feat  upon  only 
one  leg  ! 

The  thing  might  have  been  more  mysterious,  had  not 
Ivarl  from  the  first  suspected  the  reason  why  the  laws 
of  specific  gravity  appeared  to  be  thus  contradicted.  He 
suspected  the  existence  of  some  plant,  whose  leaves,  ly- 
ing spread  on  the  surface,  perhaps  offered  a  footing  for 
the  birds,  sufficiently  firm  to  su^jport  the  weight  of  their 
bodies. 

The  botanist  was  only  reasoning  from  remembrance. 
He  had  lately  read  the  account  published  but  a  few 
years  before  of  the  discovery  of  the  gigantic  water-lily 
of  tropical  America,  —  the  Victoria  Regia,  —  and  re- 
membered how  its  discoverers  had  spoken  of  large  birds 
of  the  crane  family  making  their  perch  upon  its  huge 
leaves,  and  thus  supported,  playing  about  over  the  sur- 
face of  the  watei',  as  if  the  firm  earth  had  been  under 
their  feet. 

With  these  facts  fresh  in  his  memory,  Karl  conjec- 
tured that  the  water-hens  seen  by  him  and  his  compan- 
ions were  supported  on  a  similar  pedestal,  and  playing 
themselves  on  a  like  platform.  His  conjecture  proved 
correct :  for  on  visiting  the  place  shortly  after,  the  broad 
orbicular  leaves  of  the  Nelumhium  speciosum  were  per- 
ceived, —  almost  as  large  as  those  of  their  South  Ameri- 
can conseuer. 


268  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

Other  interesting  points  relating  to  the  great  lily 
growing  in  the  Himalayan  lake,  Karl  had  mentioned 
from  time  to  time  to  his  companions  :  for  he  knew  that 
the  Nelumhium  speciosum  was  the  celebrated  Pythago- 
rean bean  mentioned  in  the  writings  of  the  Greeks,  — 
more  especially  by  Herodotus  and  Theophrastes. 

It  is  described  by  these  writers  as  growing  plentifully 
in  Egypt ;  and  no  doubt  was  cultivated  in  that  country 
in  their  day  ;  though  it  is  not  known  there  at  the  present 
time.  It  is  found  represented  on  the  Egyptian  sculp- 
tures, and  so  accurately  has  it  been  described  by  the 
Greek  writers,  as  to  leave  no  doubt  as  to  the  identifica- 
tion of  the  species. 

It  is  one  of  the  plants  supposed  to  be  the  celebrated 
"  lotus  "  of  antiquity ;  and  this  supposition  is  probable 
enough :  since  not  only  its  succulent  stalk,  but  its  seeds 
or  "  beans,"  have  been  eaten  in  all  times  by  the  people 
in  whose  country  it  grows.  It  is  a  food  that  produces 
a  strengthening  effect  upon  the  system  ;  and  is  also  very 
refreshing  in  cases  of  thii-st.  The  Chinese  call  it  "  Lieu- 
wha,"  and  its  seeds  with  thin  slices  of  its  root,  mixed 
with  the  kernels  of  apricots  and  walnuts,  and  placed 
between  alternate  layers  of  ice,  constituted  one  of  the 
select  dishes  offered  by  the  great  mandarins  to  the  Brit- 
ish ambassadors  on  the  visit  of  the  latter  to  the  Celestial 
Empire. 

These  people  store  up  the  roots  of  the  lienwha  for 
winter  use,  —  preserving  them  in  a  pickle  of  salt  and 
vinegar.  The  Japanese  also  make  use  of  the  plant  as 
an  esculent ;  and  it  is,  moreover,  regarded  by  them  as 
sacred  to  their  divinities,  —  the  images  of  which  are 
often  represented  seated  upon  its  large  leaves. 


THE    BEAN    OF    PYTHAGORAS.  2G9 

The  flowers  of  the  Nelumbium  spectostcm,  when  in  full 
bloom,  give  out  a  most  fragrant  odor,  —  somewhat  re- 
sembling that  of  anise  ;  while  the  seeds,  shaped  like 
acorns,  have  a  flavor  equal  in  richness  and  delicacy  to- 
that  of  the  finest  almonds. 


270  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 


CHAPTER    LV. 

AN    AQUATIC    HARVEST. 

It  was  not  upon  that  occasion  that  Karl  communicated 
to  his  companions  all  these  interesting  facts  in  relation 
to  the  great  lily.  Many  of  them  he  had  made  known 
long  before,  —  especially  that  the  seeds  of  the  plant  were 
eatable  ;  and  both  Caspar  and  Ossaroo  had  often  proved 
to  their  own  satisfaction  that  they  were  something  more 
than  eatable,  —  in  short,  a  great  delicacy. 

It  was  from  a  knowledge  of  this  fact  that  the  thoughts 
of  all  three  were  now  turned  upon  tlie  lilies,  —  whose 
huge  roseate  corollas,  no  longer  seen  glistening  above 
the  surface  of  the  water,  proclaimed  that  the  "  beans  " 
were  ripe,  and  ready  for  "  shelling." 

The  three  were  about  starting  fro"m  the  hut  to  reap 
this  aquatic  harvest,  —  which,  judging  from  the  quantity 
of  seed-pods  that  appeared  above  the  surface,  promised 
to  be  abundant. 

Each  had  provided  himself  with  a  rush  basket,  — 
which  the  shikaree  had  woven  during  the  long  winter 
nights,  for  other  j^urposes ;  but  as  they  were  of  just  the 
size  and  shape  to  hold  the  Pythagorean  beans,  they  were 
now  to  be  em])loyed  in  that  capacity. 

Both  Karl  and  Caspar  had  rolled  up  their  trowsers  to 
mid-tliigh ;  so  as  not  to  wet  them  while  wading  among 
the  lilies ;    but  Orfsaroo,  not  being   provided  with  any 


AN    AQUATIC    HARVEST.  271 

nether  garment  entitled  to  the  name  of  trowsers,  had 
simply  tucked  up  the  skirt  of  his  cotton  tunic,  making 
it  fast  under  his  girdle. 

In  this  guise  all  three  proceeded  round  the  shore  of 
the  lake,  to  that  side  where  they  would  be  nearest  the 
bed  of  lilies.  The  water-hens,  seeing  them  make  their 
approach,  rose  from  their  perch  upon  the  leaves,  and 
fluttered  off  to  seek  a  more  secure  shelter  among  the 
sedge. 

The  aquatic  gleaners  at  once  waded  in ;  and  com- 
menced picking  off  the  pods,  and  shelling  them  into  their 
rush  ba^ikets.  They  had  been  there  before,  and  knew 
there  was  no  danger  in  the  depth  of  the  water. 

They  had  nearly  filled  their  respective  sacks  with  the 
Pythagorean  beans,  and  were  meditating  a  return  to  dry 
land,  when  a  dark  shadow  passing  over  the  tranquil  sur- 
face of  the  lake  —  closely  followed  by  another  of  similar 
size  and  shape  —  attracted  their  attention. 

AU  three  saw  the  shadows  at  the  same  instant  of 
time ;  and  all  simultaneously  looked  up  to  ascertain 
what  sort  of  creatures  were  casting  them.  In  the  sky 
above  they  beheld  a  spectacle,  calculated  to  inspire  them 
with  feelings  of  a  strange  interest. 

Right  above  the  lake,  and  also  over  their  heads,  a 
brace  of  large  birds  was  circling  in  the  air.  Each  was 
borne  up  by  a  pair  of  huge  wings  fuU  five  yards  from 
tip  to  tip  ;  while  from  the  body,  between,  a  neck  of  enor- 
mous length  was  extended  horizontally, — prolonged  into 
a  tapering-pointed  beak,  in  shape  like  the  seed-pistil  of 
a  pelargonium. 

Their  beaks  might  well  have  been  compared  to  the 
pistil  of  a  pelargonium ;  or  rather  the  latter  should  be 


272  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

assimilated  to  them;  since  it  is  from  this  species  of 
birds  the  flower  has  derived  its  botanical  cognomen. 

The  birds  were  storks.  Not  the  ordinary  Ciconia, 
that  makes  its  home  among  the  Hollanders,  —  or  finds 
a  still  more  welcome  hospitality  on  the  roof-tree  of  the 
Hungarian  by  the  plains  of  the  Puszta,  —  but  a  stork  of 
far  gi'ander  dimensions ;  in  short,  a  stork  that  is  the  taU- 
est  of  his  tribe,  —  the  Adjutant. 

On  looking  up,  Karl  I'ecognized  the  species ;  so  did 
Caspar,  and  at  a  glance.  It  required  no  lengthened 
scrutiny,  no  profoxmd  knowledge  of  natural  history, 
to  identify  the  noted  adjutant.  It  only  needed  to  have 
seen  him  before  either  in  propria  persona,  or  in  a  pic- 
ture ;  but  both  brothers  had  seen  specimens  of  the 
bird,  in  fuU  flesh  and  feather,  on  the  plains  of  India,  — • 
in  the  environs  of  Calcutta  itself. 

As  to  the  shikaree,  was  it  likely  he  should  be  mis- 
taken about  the  character  of  those  winged  giants, — 
those  tall  scavengers  he  had  seen  thousands  of  times 
stalking  pompously  along  the  sandy  shores  of  the  sacred 
Ganges  ?  It  was  not  possible  for  him,  to  have  a  doubt 
about  the  identity  of  the  birds,  who  were  now  throw- 
ing their  shadows  over  that  lone  lake  of  the  Himalayas. 
He  had  no  doubt.  The  very  certamty  that  the  birds 
above  him  were  the  gigantic  cranes  of  the  Ganges, — 
the  sacred  birds  of  Brahma,  —  caused  him  to  utter  a 
sort  of  frenzied  shout,  and  at  the  same  time,  dropping 
his  "  sack  of  beans  "  into  the  water ! 

He  needed  not  to  look  at  the  color  of  the  birds,  to 
note  that  they  were  brown-black  above,  and  white 
underneath.  The  naked  vulture  neck,  with  its  pouch- 
like appendage  of  brick-red  hue ;  the  silken  feathers 


AN   AQUATIC    HARVEST.  273 

of  bluish  while  under  the  tail,  —  those  precious  plumes 
well  known  and  worn  by  the  ladies  of  many  lands 
under  the  appellation  of  7narabout  feathers,  —  all  were 
recognized  at  a  glance. 

Even  quicker  than  either  of  his  youthful  comrades 
had  the  Hindoo  identified  the  birds.  A  single  glance 
sufficed,  and  simultaneously  with  that  glance  had  the 
cry  fallen  from  his  lips,  and  the  sack  of  Pythagorean 
beans  from  his  gi'asp. 

The  birds  were  flying  slowly,  and  to  all  appearance 
laboriously:  as  if  wearied  of  wing.  They  appeared  to 
be  in  search  of  some  roost  on  which  to  rejiose  them- 
selves. 

That  they  had  entered  the  valley  with  this  intention 
was  made  evident  a  few  moments  after :  for  having 
made  a  circuit  round  the  little  lake,  both  at  the  same 
instant  ceased  to  ply  their  long  pinions,  and  drawing 
their  wings  suddenly  in  to  their  bodies,  they  settled 
do^vn  upon  the  shore. 

The  spot  upon  which  they  had  chosen  to  alight  was 
the  prominence  terminating  a  little  peninsula  that  pro- 
truded out  almost  to  the  bed  of  lilies,  and  from  which 
the  three  waders  had  themselves  descended  into  the 
water.  As  the  latter  now  stood  knee-deep  among  the 
aquatic  plants,  they  were  distant  not  more  than  twenty 
paces  from  the  point  of  this  peninsula. 

The  storks,  after  ahghting,  stood  upon  the  shore  in 
erect  attitudes,  —  apparently  as  unconcerned  about  the 
presence  of  our  three  adventurers,  as  if  the  latter  were 
only  overgrown  stalks  of  the  Pythagorean  bean, — 
utterly  incapable  of  doing  them  an  mjury. 

12*  B 


274  THE    CLIFF-CLIilBERS. 


CHAPTER    LVI. 


THE    ADJUTANTS. 


The  brace  of  gigantic  birds,  that  had  thus  alighted 
by  the  shox'e  of  the  little  lake,  were,  to  say  the  least, 
uncouth  creatures ;  for  the  whole  ornithological  world 
might  be  ransacked  without  finding  a  gi-eater  oddity 
than  the  adjutant. 

In  the  first  place,  it  stands  six  feet  upon  its  long, 
straight  shanks ;  though  its  actual  length,  measurmg 
from  the  tip  of  its  bill  to  the  termination  of  its  claws, 
is  full  seven  and  a  half.  The  beak,  of  itself,  is  over  a 
foot  in  length,  several  inches  in  thickness,  with  a  gib- 
bous enlargement  near  the  middle,  and  having  both 
mandibles  slightly  curved  downwards. 

The  spread  of  a  full-grown  adjutant's  wing  is  fifteen 
feet,  or  five  yards,  from  tip  to  tip,  —  quite  equallhig 
in  extent  either  that  of  the  Chilian  condor  or  the 
"  wandering  "  albatross. 

In  color  the  adjutant  may  be  desciibed  as  black  above 
and  wliite  underneath,  neither  that  being  very  pure. 
The  upper  plumage  is  a  dirty  brownish-black ;  while 
the  belly  and  under  parts  present  a  dull  white  appear- 
ance, —  partly  from  an  admixture  of  grayish  feathers, 
but  also  from  the  cii'cumstance  that  the  bird  is  usually 
bedaubed  with  dirt,  —  as  mud  from  the  marshes,  where 
it  feeds,  and  other  filth,  in  which  it  seems  to  take  de- 


THE    ADJUTANTS.  275 

light.  But  for  this  foulness,  the  legs  of  thfe  adjutant 
would  be  of  a  dark  color ;  but  in  the  living  bird  they 
are  never  seen  of  the  natural  hue,  —  being  always 
whitened  by  the  dust  shaken  out  of  its  plumage,  and 
other  excrement  that  attaches  itself  to  the  skin. 

The  tail  is  black  above  and  white  underneath, — 
more  especially  the  under  coverts,  which  are  of  a  pure 
white.  These  last  are  the  plumes  so  highly  prized 
under  the  name  of  "  marabout  feathers,"  an  erroneous 
title,  arising  through  a  mistake,  —  made  by  the  natu- 
rahst  Temminck  in  comparing  the  Indian  adjutant  with 
another  and  very  different  species  of  the  same  genus,  — 
the  marabout  stork  of  Africa. 

One  of  the  distinctive  chai'acteristics  of  the  adjutant, 
or  "  argala,!'  as  it  is  better  known  to  the  Indians,  —  and 
one,  too,  of  its  ugliest  "  features,"  —  is  a  naked  neck 
of  a  flesh-red  color,  the  skin  shrivelled,  corrugated,  and 
covered  with  brownish  hau-s.  These  "  bristles "  are 
more  thickly  set  in  young  birds,  but  become  thinner 
with  age,  until  they  almost  totally  disappear,  —  leaving 
both  head  and  neck  quite  naked. 

This  peculiarity  causes  a  resemblance  between  the 
adjutant  bird  and  the  vultures;  but  indeed  there  are 
many  other  points  of  similarity ;  and  the  stork  may  in 
all  respects  be  regarded  as  a  vulture,  —  the  vulture  of 
the  graUatores,  or  waders. 

In  addition  to  the  naked  neck,  the  adjutant  is  fur- 
nished with  an  immense  dew-lop,  or  pouch  which  hangs 
down  upon  its  breast,  —  often  more  than  a  foot  in 
length,  and  changing  from  pale  flesh  color  to  bright 
red,  along  with  the  skin  of  the  throat.  At  the  back 
of  the  neck  is  foimd  still  another  singular  apparatus, 


276  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

—  the  use  of  which  has  not  been  determined  by  the 
naturalist.  It  is  a  sort  of  vesjcular  appendage,  capable 
of  being  inflated  vnth  air ;  and  supposed  to  serve  as 
an  atmospheric  buoy  to  assist  in  sustaining  the  bird  iu 
its  flight.  The  inflation  has  been  observed  to  taka 
place  under  exposure  to  a  hot  sun  ;  and,  therefore,  it 
is  natural  to  infer,  that  the  rarefaction  of  the  air  has 
something  to  do  in  causing  it.  As  the  adjutant  often 
flies  to  a  great  height,  it  is  possible  that  this  balloon- 
like apparatus  is  necessary  to  sustaining  it  in  the  rare- 
fied atmosphere  found  at  such  an  elevation.  The  an- 
nual migration  of  the  bird  over  the  lofty  chain  of  the 
Himalayas  might  not  be  possible,  or  if  possible,  more 
diflScult,  without  this  power  of  decreasing  the  sijecific 
gravity  of  its  body. 

It  is  scarce  necessary  to  say  that  the  adjutant  —  like 
all  birds  of  the  family  to  which  it  belongs  —  is  a  filthy 
and  voracious  feeder  ;  carnivorous  in  the  highest  degree  ; 
and  preferring  carrion  and  garbage  to  any  other  sort  of 
food.  It  wUl  kill  and  swallow  live  kuid,  —  such  as 
frogs,  snakes,  small  Quadrupeds,  and  birds,  —  the  latter 
not  so  very  small  either :  since  it  has  been  known  to  bolt 
a  whole  fowl  at  a  single  "  swallow."  Even  a  cat  or  a 
hare  can  be  accommodated  with  a  passage  down  its 
capacious  gullet ;  but  it  will  not  attempt  to  kill  either 
one  or  the  other :  since,  notwithstanding  its  gigantic  size, 
it  is  one  of  the  veriest  cowards  in  creation.  A  chUd, 
with  a  bit  of  a  switch,  can  at  any  time  chase  the  adjutant 
away ;  and  an  enraged  hen  wUl  put  it  to  flight  whenever 
it  strays  into  the  neighborhood  of  her  young  brood.  It 
does  not  retreat  without  first  making  a  show  of  defiance, 

—  by  placing  itself  in  a  threatening  attitude,  —  with  red- 


THE    ADJUTAXTS.  277 

dened  throat,  and  beak  wide  agape,  from  which  latter 
proceeds  a  loud  roaring,  like  that  of  a  bear  or  tiger.  All 
this,  however,  is  mere  braggadocio ;  for,  on  the  enemy 
continuing  the  attack,  it  immediately  cools  down,  and 
betakes  itself  to  ignominious  flight. 

Such  are  a  few  peculiarities  of  the  gigantic  stork, 
known  as  the  adjutant  or  argala.  It  only  remains  to  be 
added,  that  there  are  at  least  two,  perhaps  three,  other 
species  of  storks  of  very  large  dimensions,  —  though  not 
so  large  as  this  one,  —  that  for  a  long  time  have  been 
confounded  with  it.  One  of  these  is  the  marahoid,  which 
inhabits  the  tropical  regions  of  Africa,  and  which  also 
produces  the  plumes  so  much  prized  in  the  world  of 
fashion.  The  feathers  of  the  African  species,  however, 
are  far  less  beautiful  and  valuable  than  those  from  the 
tail  of  the  adjutant ;  and  it  is  these  last  that  are  really 
best  known  as  marabout  feathers,  in  consequence  of  the 
mistake  made  by  Temminck,  and  propagated  by  the 
anatomist  Cuvier. 

Another  great  stork  —  differing  both  from  the  argala 
of  Asia  and  the  marabout  of  Africa  —  inhabits  the  Island 
of  Sumatra.  It  is  known  to  the  natives  as  the  "  Boo- 
rong  Cambay  "  ;  while  in  the  neighboring  Island  of  Java 
is  found  either  a  fourth  species  of  these  gigantic  birds,  or 
the  same  that  belongs  to  Sumatra. 

It  is  somewhat  singular  that  such  creatures  should 
have  remained  so  long  unknown  to  the  scientific  world. 
It  is  not  much  more  than  half  a  century  since  travellers 
began  to  describe  them  with  any  degree  of  exactness ; 
and  even  at  the  present  time  their  history  and  habits 
have  received  but  very  slight  elutidation.  This  is  the 
more  surprising  when  we  consider  that  on  the  banks  of 


278  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

the  Ganges  —  even  in  Calcutta  itself — the  adjutant  is 
one  of  the  most  common  birds,  —  constantly  stalking 
about  the  houses,  and  entering  the  enclosures  with  as 
much  familiarity,  as  if  it  was  one  of  the  regular  domes- 
tics of  the  establishment ! 

Its  services  as  a  "  scavenger  "  procure  for  it  an  immu- 
nity from  persecution ;  and  it  is  not  only  tolerated  by  the 
people,  but  encouraged,  in  its  advances  towards  fellow- 
ship with  them ;  notwithstanding  that  at  times  it  becomes 
rather  troublesome  in  its  attentions  to  the  young  duck- 
lings, chicklings,  and  other  denizens  of  the  farmyard. 

Sometimes  they  are  not  even  contented  with  such  fare 
as  may  be  found  outside ;  but  have  been  known  to  enter 
the  bungalow,  snatch  a  smoking  joint  from  the  table,  and 
swallow  it,  before  either  master  or  servant  could  rescue 
the  dainty  morsel  from  between  their  long  and  tenacious 
mandibles ! 

When  seen  in  flocks,  wading  through  the  water,  — 
with  wings  outstretched,  as  is  their  custom,  —  they  may 
be  taken  for  a  fleet  of  small  boats.  At  other  times, 
when  stalking  about  over  the  sandy  shores,  and  picking 
up  the  debris  strewed  along  the  banks  of  the  sacred 
river,  they  resemble  a  crowd  of  native  women  engaged 
in  the  like  occupation. 

Ofttimes  may  they  be  seen  feeding  voraciously  upon 
the  filthiest  carrion  of  animals ;  and  not  unfiequently 
n\)Oii  a  human  body  in  a  state  of  putrefaction,  —  the 
corpse  of  some  deluded  victim  to  the  superstition  of  Jug- 
gernaut,—  which  has  been  thrown  into  the  so-styled 
sacred  river,  to  be  washed  back  on  the  beach,  an  object 
of  contention  between  pariah  dogs,  vultm'es,  and  these 
gigantic  cranes  of  the  Ganges. 


TUE    STANDING    SLEEPERS.  279 


CHAPTER  LVII. 


THE     STANDING     SLEEPERS. 


The  advent  of  the  adjutants  produced  a  vivid  impres- 
sion on  the  minds  of  all  three  of  our  adventurers, — 
more  vivid,  perhaps,  upon  Ossaroo  than  either  of  the 
others.  To  him  they  seemed  like  old  friends  who  had 
come  to  visit  him  in  his  prison ;  and  though  it  never 
occurred  to  the  shikaree  that  they  could  be  in  any  way 
instrumental  in  obtaining  liis  release,  stiH  the  impression 
produced  was  one  of  a  pleasant  nature.  He  saw  before 
him  two  creatures  whose  forms,  however  uncouth,  were 
associated  with  the  scenes  of  his  earliest  childhood ;  and 
he  could  not  help  a  passing  fancy,  that  the  pair  that  had 
thus  unexpectedly  made  their  appearance  might  be  the 
same  old  cock  and  hen  he  had  so  often  seen  roosted  on 
the  branches  of  a  huge  banyan-tree  that  overshadowed 
the  bungalow  in  which  he  was  born. 

Of  course  tliis  could  be  only  fancy  on  the  part  of 
Ossaroo.  Out  of  the  thousands  of  storks  that  annually 
make  their  migi-ation  from  the  plains  of  Hindostan  to 
the  northward  of  the  Himalaya  Mountains,  it  would 
have  been  a  rare  coincidence  if  the  two  that  for  yeai-s 
had  performed  the  office  of  scavengers  in  the  shikaree's 
native  village,  should  be  identical  with  those  now  hover- 
ing above  liis  head,  —  for  it  was  while  they  were  yet 
upon  the  wing  that  Ossaroo  had  indulged  in  this  pleas- 


280  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

ant  speculation.  Though  scarce  serious  in  his  thought, 
—  and  only  entertaining  it  for  an  instant,  —  he  was 
nevertheless  gratified  by  the  sight  of  the  two  storks,  for 
he  knew  they  must  have  come  from  liis  native  plains,  — 
from  the  banks  of  that  glorious  river  in  whose  waters  he 
longed  once  more  to  wet  his  feet. 

The  sight  of  the  huge  birds  suggested  to  Caspar  a 
different  train  of  thought.  As  he  beheld  their  immense 
wings,  extended  in  slow  but  easy  flight,  it  occurred  to 
him  that  one  or  other  of  the  gerat  creatures  might  have 
the  power  to  perform  that  task  which  had  proved  too 
much  for  the  bearcoot ;  and  for  wliich  the  "  kite "  had 
been  "  flied  "  in  vain. 

"  O,"  exclaimed  he,  as  the  idea  came  across  his  mind, 
"  don't  you  think,  Karl,  that  either  of  those  great  crea- 
tures would  be  strong  enough  to  carry  the  line  aloft? 
They  look  as  if  they  could  lift  even  one  of  ourselves  to 
the  top  of  the  cliff." 

Karl  made  no  reply :  though  his  silence  was  only 
caused  by  Caspar's  suggestion,  —  which  he  was  proceed- 
ing to  ponder  upon. 

The  young  hunter  continued :  "  If  we  could  only 
catch  one  of  them  alive !  Do  you  suppose  they  are 
going  to  ahght?  They  look  as  if  they  would.  What 
do  you  say,  Ossaroo  ?  You  know  more  of  these  birds 
than  we  do." 

"  Yees,  yoiuigee  sahib  ;  -ee  speakee  de  true.  Dey  go 
for  come  down.  You  savey  dey  make  long  fly.  Dey 
both  weary  on  de  wing,  —  no  able  fly  furder.  'Sides, 
ee  see,  here  am  de  lake,  —  water,  —  dey  want  drinkee, 
■ —  want  eat  too.     Dey  sure  come  down." 

Ossaroo's  prediction  was  fulfilled,  almost  as  soon  as 


THE    STAKDIXG    SLEEPKRS.  281 

it  was  uttered.  The  birds,  first  one  and  then  the  other, 
jerked  in  their  spread  wings  ;  and  dropped  down  upon 
the  shore  of  the  lake,  —  as  ah-eady  stated,  not  over 
twenty  paces  from  the  spot  where  the  three  waders  were 
occupied  among  the  leaves  of  the  lilies. 

The  eyes  of  all  three  were  now  directed  with  a  fixed 
gaze  upon  the  new-comers,  —  in  whose  behavior  they 
observed  something  irresistibly  ludicrous. 

Almost  on  the  instant  of  their  feet  touching  terra  Jir- 
ma,  instead  of  moving  about  over  the  ground  in  search 
of  food,  or  striding  down  towards  the  water  to  drink,  — 
as  the  spectators  were  expecting  them  to  do,  —  the  two 
long-legged  bipeds  acted  in  an  entirely  different  manner. 
Neither  of  them  seemed  to  care  either  for  food  or  drink. 
If  they  did,  both  these  appetites  must  have  been  secondary 
with  them  to  the  desire  for  rest ;  for  scarce  ten  seconds 
had  elapsed  after  their  alighting,  when  each  drew  in  its 
long  neck,  burying  it  between  the  shoulders  as  in  a  case, 
leaving  visible  only  the  upper  half  of  the  head,  with 
its  huge  scythe-shaped  beak,  —  the  mandibles  resting 
against  the  prominence  of  the  breast  bone,  and  pointing 
diagonally  downwards. 

Simultaneous  with  this  movement,  the  spectators  per- 
ceived another,  —  equally  indicative  of  a  desire  on  the 
part  of  the  birds  to  4)etake  themselves  to  repose.  This 
was  the  drawing  up  of  one  of  their  long  fleshless  legs, 
until  it  was  entirely  concealed  under  the  loose  feathers 
of  the  belly,  —  a  movement  made  by  both  so  exactly  at 
the  same  instant,  as  to  lead  to  the  belief  that  they  were 
actuated  by  like  impulses,  by  some  spiritual  union  that 
existed  between  them ! 

In  ten  seconds  more  both  birds  appeared  to  be  iisleep. 
At  all  events,  theu*  eyes  were  closed ;  and  not  a  move- 


282  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

ment  conld  be  detected  in  the  limbs,  wings,  bodies,  or 
beaks  of  either  ! 

It  was  certainly  a  ludicrous  sight  to  see  these  huge 
creatures,  —  each  supporting  itself  on  a  single  stalk,  so 
straight  and  slender  that  nothing  but  the  nicest  balance 
could  have  insured  their  equilibrium  ;  and  this,  too,  while 
neither  seemed  conscious  of  any  danger  of  toppling  over, 

—  of  which,  indeed,  there  was  not  the  slightest  reason 
to  be  afraid. 

The  Hindoo  had  been  too  lon£;  accustomed  to  this 
sort  of  spectacle,  to  see  anything  in  it  worthy  of  being 
laughed  at.  Not  so  Caspar,  —  whose  mirth  was  at  once 
excited  to  the  point  of  risibility.  The  unconcerned 
manner  in  which  the  storks  had  come  to  a  stand,  — 
along  with  the  picturesque  pose  in  which  they  had  com- 
posed themselves  to  sleep,  —  was  even  too  much  for  the 
stoical  Karl ;  who  at  once  echoed  the  laughter  which  his 
brother  had  inaugurated. 

Their  united  cachinnations  rang  loudly  over  the  lake, 

—  reverberating  in  repeated  peals  from  the  adjacent  cliffs. 
It  might  be  supposed  that  the   fracas  thus  created 

would  have  alarmed  the  new  arrivals ;  and  caused  them 
once  more  to  make  an  appeal  to  their  wings. 

Nothing  of  the  sort.  The  only  effect  perceptible  on 
either,  was  the  opening  of  their  eyes,  a  slight  protrusion 
of  the  neck,  a  shake  of  the  head,  an  upraising  of  the 
long  beak,  with  a  quick  clattering  of  its  mandibles, — 
which  soon  becoming  closed  again,  were  permitted  to 
drop  into  their  original  position  of  repose. 

This  cool  behavior  of  the  birds  only  increased  the 
hilarity  of  the  boys ;  and  for  several  minutes  they  re- 
mained in  their  places,  giving  way  to  loud  and  uncon- 
trollable lauohter. 


FRITZ   AMONG   THE   FEATHERS.  283 


CHAPTER    LVIII. 

FRITZ    AMONG   THE    FEATHERS. 

Their  hilarity  could  not  be  continued  forever.  Even 
that  of  Caspar  came  to  a  termination  ;  though  not  until 
his  ribs  ached  with  the  agreeable  exercise. 

As  their  bean-sacks  had  been  already  filled,  it  was 
determined  that  they  should  first  take  them  to  the  hut, 
and  then  return  to  the  storks  with  the  design  of  captur- 
ing them.  Ossaroo  was  of  the  opinion,  that  they  would 
have  no  difficulty  in  effecting  this  ;  declaring  the  birds 
to  be  so  tame,  that  he  might  walk  straight  up  to  them, 
and  throw  a  noose  over  their  necks.  This,  in  all  proba- 
bility, he  might  have  done,  had  he  been  provided  with  a 
piece  of  cord  proper  for  the  making  of  such  a  noose. 
But  there  was  no  cord  at  hand,  —  not  even  a  bit  of 
string,  —  nothing  but  the  rush  baskets  filled  with  the 
lotus  beans.  To  obtain  a  snare,  it  woidd  be  necessary 
to  make  a  journey  to  the  hut. 

In  the  minds  of  our  adventm-ers  there  was  no  very 
clear  conception  of  the  object  of  capturing  the  storks : 
unless  it  might  have  been  that  the  thought,  to  which 
Caspar  had  given  speech,  was  still  entertained  by  him- 
self and  his  brother.  That,  indeed,  woidd  have  justified 
them  in  their  attempt  to  take  the  birds. 

Another  idea  may  have  suggested  itself,  —  more  es- 
pecially to  Ossaroo.     If  nothing  else  should  come  of  it. 


284  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

there  would  be  some  pleasure  in  holding  the  birds  in 
captivity,  —  as  petg  and  companions.  Ossaroo  had  been 
involuntarily  contemplating  the  prospect  of  a  long,  lonely 
life  in  the  solitude  of  that  mountain  valley.  With  such 
a  prospect  even  the  solemn  stork  might  be  regarded  as  a 
cheerful  companion. 

Stimulated  by  these  thoughts,  —  and  some  others  of  a 
more  indefinite  kind,  —  our  adventurers  came  to  the  de- 
termination to  insnare  the  adjutants! 

AH  three  commenced  wading  out  of  the  lake  —  in  a 
direction  so  as  not  to  disturb  the  sleepers.  Karl  and 
Caspar  —  now  that  they  had  become  inspired  vpith  a  de- 
sign —  lifted  their  feet  out  of  the  water,  and  set  them 
down  again,  as  though  they  were  treading  upon  eggs. 
Ossaroo  sneered  at  their  over-caution  —  telling  them, 
that  there  was  not  the  slightest  fear  of  frightening  the 
storks ;  and  indeed  there  was  truth  ia  what  he  affirmed. 

In  most  countries  bordering  upon  the  banks  of  the 
Ganges,  these  birds,  protected  alike  by  superstitious 
fears  and  edicts  of  law,  have  become  so  used  to  the  prox- 
imity of  man,  that  they  will  scarce  stir  out  of  their  way 
to  avoid  him.  It  was  possible  that  the  brace  in  question 
might  have  belonged  to  some  of  the  wilder  flocks,  —  in- 
habiting the  swamps  of  the  Sunderbunds,  —  and  there- 
fore less  accustomed  to  human  society.  In  that  case 
there  might  be  some  difiiculty  in  approaching  them ; 
and  it  was  for  this  reason  that  Ossaroo  had  consented  to 
adopt  the  precautions  for  their  capture  which  Karl  had 
insisted  should  be  taken. 

The  truth  is,  that  Karl  had  conceived  a  deeper  design 
than  either  of  his  companions.  It  had  occurred  to  him, 
—  while  engaged  with  his  brother  in  that  laughing  du- 


FRITZ    AMONG    THE    FEATHEUS.  285 

etto, —  and  somewhat  to  the  surprise  of  Casjiar,  it  had 
caused  a  sudden  cessation  of  his  mirth,  or  at  least  the 
noisy  ebulhtion  of  it. 

The  philosopher  had  become  silent  and  serious  :  as  if 
the  thought  had  suddenly  arisen,  that  liilarity  under  the 
circumstances  was  indecorous  and  out  of  place.  From 
that  moment  Karl  had  preserved  a  mysterious  silence, 

—  even  refusing  to  explain  it  when  interrogated  by 
Caspar.  He  was  only  silent  on  this  one  theme.  Oth- 
erwise his  speech  flowed  freely  enough,  —  in  counsel  to 
his  companions,  —  charging  both  to  adopt  every  precau- 
tion for  insuring  the  capture  of  the  storks,  —  and  with  an 
eagerness,  which  puzzled  them  to  comprehend. 

A  few  minutes'  walk  brought  them  back  to  the  hut. 
It  was  rather  a  run  than  a  walk,  —  Karl  going  in  the 
lead,  and  arri^dng  before  either  of  the  others.  The 
bean-sacks  were  flung  upon  the  floor,  —  as  if  they  had 
been  empty  and  of  no  value,  —  and  then  the  strings  and 
lines  that  had  been  spun  by  Ossaroo  were  pulled  out  of 
their  hidden  places,  and  submitted  to  inspection. 

It  did  not  take  long  to  make  a  running  noose,  wliich 
was  accomplished  by  the  nimble  fingers  of  the  shikaree. 
Easily  also  was  it  attached  to  the  end  of  a  long  stem  of 
the  ringall  bamboo  ;  and  thus  provided,  our  adventurers 
once  more  sallied  forth  from  the  hut ;  and  made  their 
way  towards  the  sleeping  storks. 

As  they  drew  near,  they  were  gratified  at  perceiving 
the  birds  still  in  the  enjoyment  of  their  meridian  slum- 
ber. No  doubt  they  had  made  a  long  journey,  and 
needed  rest.  Their  wings  hung  drooping  by  their  sides, 
proclaiming  weariness.     Perhaps  they  were  dreaming, 

—  dreaming  of  a  roost  on  some  tall  fig-tree,  or  the  tower 


286  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

of  an  antique  temple  sacred  to  the  worship  of  Buddha, 
Vishua,  or  Deva,  —  dreaming  of  the  great  Ganges,  and 
its  odorous  waifs,  —  those  savory  morsels  of  putrefying 
flesh,  in  which  they  delighted  to  dig  their  huge  mattocks 
of  mandibles. 

Ossaroo  being  intrusted  with  the  noose,  did  not  pause 
to  think,  about  what  they  might  be  dreaming ;  or 
whether  they  were  dreaming  at  all.  Enough  for  him 
to  perceive  that  they  were  sleeping ;  and,  gliding  for- 
ward in  a  bent  attitude,  silent  as  a  tiger  threading  his 
native  jungle,  the  shikaree  succeeded  in  making  approach 
—  until  he  had  got  almost  within  snaring  distance  of  the 
unconscious  adjutants. 

There  is  many  a  slip  between  the  cup  and  the  lip. 
The  old  saw  was  illustrated  in  the  case  of  the  shikaree 
while  endeavoring  to  insnare  the  storks  ;  though  it  was 
not  the  snare,  but  the  birds  that  now  illustrated  the 
adage. 

After  the  attempt  had  been  made,  the  snare  could  be 
stUl  seen  in  its  place,  stiffly  projecting  from  the  point  of 
the  long  bamboo  rod  ;  while  the  adjutants  were  soaring 
in  the  air,  moimting  still  higher  upward,  their  slender 
necks  outstretched,  their  beaks  cracking  like  castanets, 
and  their  throats  emitting  an  angry  sound  like  the  roar- 
ing of  a  brace  of  lions. 

The  failure  was  not  to  be  attributed  to  Ossaroo,  but 
to  the  imprudence  of  one  of  liis  companions,  —  an  indi- 
vidual of  the  party  close  treading  upon  his  heels.  That 
individual  was  Fritz  ! 

Just  as  Ossaroo  was  about  casting  his  loop  over  the 
shoulders  of  a  sleeping  adjutant,  Fritz, —  who  had  fol- 
lowed the  party  from  the  hut,  —  now  for  the  fii'st  time 


There  is  many  a  slip  between  the  cup  and  the  lip. 


FRITZ    AMONG    THE    FEATHERS.  287 

perceiving  the  birds,  rushed  forward  and  seized  the  tail 
of  one  of  them  between  his  teeth.  Then,  as  if  deter- 
mined on  securing  the  beautiful  marabout  feathers,  he 
pulled  a  large  mouthful  of  them  clean  out  by  the  roots. 

This  was  not  exactly  the  motive  that  impelled  Fritz 
to  make  such  an  unexpected  attack,  —  unexpected,  be- 
cause the  weU-trained  animal  would  have  known  better 
than  to  fright  the  game  which  his  masters  were  in  the 
act  of  stalking ;  and  such  imprudence  had  never  before 
been  displayed  by  him.  It  was  the  particular  kind  of 
game  that  had  provoked  Fritz  to  act  contrary  to  his 
usual  habit  of  caution  ;  for  of  all  the  creatures  which  he 
had  encountered,  since  his  arrival  in  the  country,  there 
was  none  that  had  inspired  him  with  a  more  profound 
feeling  of  hostility  than  these  same  adjutants.  During 
Fritz's  sojourn  in  the  Botanic  Gardens  of  Calcutta, — 
where  his  masters,  it  will  be  remembered,  were  for  some 
time  entertained  as  guests,  —  Fritz  had  often  come  in 
contact  with  a  brace  of  these  gigantic  birds,  that  were 
also  guests  of  that  justly  celebrated  establishment:  they 
habitually  made  their  stay  within  the  enclosure,  where 
they  were  permitted  to  stalk  about  unmolested,  and  pick 
up  such  stray  scraps  as  were  cast  out  by  the  domestics 
of  the  curator's  mansion. 

These  birds  had  grown  so  tame  as  to  take  food  freely 
out  of  the  hand  of  any  one  who  offered  it  to  them ;  and 
with  like  freedom,  to  take  it  where  it  was  not  offered, 
but  found  within  reach  of  their  long  prehensile  beaks. 
Often  had  they  pilfered  provisions,  to  which  they  were 
anytliing  but  welcome ;  and,  among  other  acts  of  their 
rapacity,  there  was  one  of  which  Fritz  had  been  an  in- 
terested spectator,  and  for  which  he  was  not  hkely  ever 


288  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

to  forgive  tbem.  That  was,  their  robbing  him  of  a 
dainty  piece  of  meat  which  one  of  the  cooks  had  pre- 
sented to  Fritz  himself,  and  upon  which  he  had  been 
going  to  make  his  dinner.  One  of  the  bu'ds  had  the 
audacity  to  seize  the  meat  in  its  mandibles,  jerk  it  out 
of  the  dog's  very  teeth,  and  swallow  it,  before  the  latter 
had  time  to  offer  either  interruption  or  remonstrance. 

The  consequence  was,  that,  from  that  time,  Fritz  had 
conceived  a  most  rancorous  antipathy  towards  all  birds 
of  the  genus  Ciconia,  and  the  species  Argala  in  particu- 
lar ;  and  this  it  was  that  impelled  him,  on  first  perceiv- 
mg  the  adjutant,  —  for  being  by  the  hut  on  their  arrival 
he  had  not  seen  them  before,  —  to  rush  open-mouthed 
towards  them  and  seize  the  tail  of  one  of  them  between 
his  teeth. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  add  that  the  bird,  thus  indeco- 
rously assailed,  took  to  instant  flight,  followed  by  its 
more  fortunate,  though  not  less  frightened  mate,  —  leav- 
ing Fritz  in  a  temper  to  treat  marabout  feathers  as  they 
had  never  been  treated  before,  —  even  when  by  the  hands 
of  some  scorned  and  jealous  vixen  they  may  have  been 
torn  from  the  turban  of  some  hated  rival ! 


CAPTURING   THE   STORKS.  289 


CHAPTER  LIX. 


CAPTURING    THE     STORKS. 


Our  adventurers  witnessed  the  uprising  of  the  birds 
with  looks  that  betokened  disappointment  and  displeas- 
ure ;  and  Fritz  was  in  danger  of  getting  severely  cas- 
tigated. He  merited  chastisement ;  and  would  have 
received  it  on  the  instant,  —  for  Caspar  already  stood 
over  Jiim  with  an  upraised  rod,  —  when  an  exclamation 
from  Karl  caused  the  young  hunter  to  hold  his  hand, 
and  saved  Fritz  from  the  "  hiding "  with  which  he  was 
being  threatened. 

It  was  not  for  this  that  Karl  had  called  out.  The  ex- 
clamation that  escaped  liim  was  of  a  different  import,  — 
so  peculiarly  intoned  as  at  once  to  draw  Caspar's  atten- 
tion from  the  culprit  and  fix  it  on  his  brother. 

Karl  was  standing  with  eyes  upraised  and  gazing 
fixedly  upon  the  retreating  stork,  —  that  one  with  whose 
taU  Fritz  had  taken  such  an  unwarrantable  liberty. 

It  was  not  the  ragged  marabout  feathers,  hanging 
half  plucked  from  the  posterior  of  the  stork,  upon  which 
Karl  was  gazing ;  but  its  long  legs,  that,  as  the  bird 
rose  in  its  hurried  flight,  hung,  slantingly  downward,  ex- 
tending far  beyond  the  tip  of  its  taU.  Not  exactly 
these  either  was  it  that  had  called  forth  that  strange 
cry  ;  but  something  attached  to  them,  —  or  one  of  them 
at  least,  —  which,  as  it  came  under  the  shining  rays 
13  s 


290  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

of  the  sun,  gleamed  in  the  eyes  of  Karl  with  a  metal- 
lic lustre. 

It  had  a  yellowish  sheen,  —  like  gold  or  burnished 
brass,  —  but  the  scintillation  of  the  sun's  rays,  as  they 
glanced  from  its  surface,  hindered  the  spectators  from 
making  out  its  shape,  or  being  able  to  say  exactly  what 
it  was. 

It  was  only  Caspar  and  Ossaroo  who  were  thus  per- 
plexed, Karl  knew  that  glittering  meteor,  that  for  a 
moment  had  flashed  before  his  eyes  like  a  beam  of  hope, 
—  now  slowly  but  surely  departing  from  him,  and  plung- 
ing him  back  into  the  old  misery. 

"  0  brother ! "  he  exclaimed,  as  the  stork  flew  upward, 
"  what  a  misfortune  has  happened  !  " 

"  Misfortune !  what  mean  you,  Karl  ?  " 

"  Ah !  you  know  not  how  near  we  were  to  a  chance 
of  being  delivered.  Alas  !  alas  !  it  is  going  to  escape  us  ! " 

"The  birds  have  escaped  us,  you  mean?"  inquired 
Caspar.  ''  What  of  that  ?  I  don't  believe  they  could 
have  carried  up  the  rope  anyhow  ;  and  what  good  would 
it  be  to  catch  them  ?  They  're  not  eatable  ;  and  we  don't 
want  their  feathers,  valuable  as  they  may  be." 

"  No,  no  ! "  hurriedly  rejoined  Karl ;  "  it  is  not  that,  — 
not  that." 

"  What  then,  brother  ?  "  inquired  Caspar,  somewhat 
astonished  at  the  incoherent  speeches  of  the  plant-hunt- 
er.    "  What  are  you  thinking  of  ?  " 

"  Look  yonder ! "  said  Karl,  now  for  the  first  time 
pointing  up  to  the  soaring  storks.  "  You  see  something 
that  shines  ?  " 

"  Ha !  on  the  leg  of  one  of  the  birds  ?  Yes ;  I  do 
see  something,  —  like  a  piece  of  yellow  metal,  —  what 
can  it  be?" 


CAPTURING   THE   STORKS.  291 

"  I  Icnow  what  it  is ! "  rejoined  Karl,  in  a  regretful 
tone ;  "  right  well  do  I  know.  Ah !  if  we  could  only 
have  caught  that  bird,  there  would  have  been  a  hope 
for  us.  It 's  no  use  grieving  p,fter  it  now.  It 's  gone, 
—  alas  !  it 's  gone ;  and  you,  Fritz,  have  this  day  done 
a  thing  that  wQl  cause  us  all  regret,  —  perhaps  for  the 
rest  of  our  lives." 

"I  don't  comprehend  you,  brother!"  said  Caspar; 
"  but  if  it 's  the  escape  of  the  storks  that 's  to  be  so  much 
regretted,  perhaps  it  will  never  take  place.  They  don't 
appear  to  be  in  such  a  hurry  to  leave  us,  —  notwith- 
standing the  inhospitable  reception  Fritz  has  given  them. 
See  !  they  are  circling  about,  as  if  they  intended  to  come 
down  again.  And  see,  also,  Ossaroo,  —  he's  holding  out 
a  lure  for  them.  I  warrant  the  old  shikaree  will  succeed 
in  coaxing  them  back.    He  knows  their  habits  perfectly." 

"  Merciful  Father ! "  exclaimed  Karl,  as  he  looked 
first  at  the  flying  storks  and  then  at  Ossaroo ;  "  be  it 
permitted  that  he  succeed !  You,  Caspar,  lay  hold  upon 
Fritz,  and  give  Ossaroo  every  chance !  For  your  life 
don't  let  the  dog  get  away  from  you  ;  for  your  life,  — • 
for  the  lives  of  all  of  us ! " 

Caspar,  though  still  under  surprise  at  the  excited 
bearing  of  his  brother,  did  not  allow  that  to  hinder  him 
from  obeying  his  command,  and  rushing  upon  Fritz,  he 
caught  hold  of  the  dog.  Then  placing  the  hound  be- 
tween his  legs,  he  held  him  with  both  hands  and  knees 
as  tiglitly  as  if  Fritz  had  been  screwed  in  a  vice. 

The  eyes  of  all  —  the  dog  included —  were  now 
turned  upon  Ossaroo.  Caspar  contemplated  his  move- 
ments with  an  undefined  interest ;  while  Karl  watched 
them  with  feehngs  of  the  keenest  anxiety. 


292  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

The  cunning  shikaree  had  not  come  to  the  spot  un- 
prepared. Having  anticipated  some  difficulty  in  getting 
hold  of  the  storks,  he  had  providentially  provided  a 
lure,  which,  in  the  event  of  their  proving  shy,  might 
attract  them  within  reach  of  his  ringall.  This  lure 
was  a  large  fish,  —  which  he  had  taken  out  of  the 
larder  before  leaving  the  hut,  and  which  he  was  now 
holding  out,  —  as  conspicuously  as  possible,  to  attract 
their  attention.  He  had  gone  some  distance  apart  from 
the  others,  and  especially  from  Fritz,  whom  he  had 
scolded  away  from  his  side ;  and  having  stationed  him- 
self on  a  slight  eminence  near  the  edge  of  the  lake, 
he  was  using  all  his  wiles  to  coax  back  the  birds  that 
had  been  so  unwittuigly  compelled  to  take  wing. 

It  was  evident  to  Ossaroo  —  as  well  as  to  the  others 
—  that  the  flight  of  the  storks  had  been  against  their 
will;  and  that  they  had  reluctantly  ascended  into  the 
air.     They  were  no  doubt  wearied,  and  wanted  rest. 

Whether  this  desire  would  have  brought  them  to  the 
earth  again,  Ossaroo  did  not  stay  to  determine.  As 
soon  as  by  their  actions  he  became  convinced  that  they 
saw  the  fish  held  out  in  his  hand,  he  flung  the  tempt- 
ing morsel  to  some  distance  from  him,  and  then  stood 
awaiting  the  result. 

It  proved  a  success,  —  and  almost  instantaneously. 

There  was  nothing  in  the  appearance  or  attitude  of 
Ossaroo  to  excite  the  suspicion  of  the  adjutants.  His 
dark  skin  and  Hindoo  costume  were  both  well  known 
to  them ;  and  though  now  observed  in  an  odd,  out-of- 
the-way  corner  of  the  world,  that  was  no  reason  for 
regarding  him  as  an  enemy. 

Fritz  was  alone  the  object  of  theii-  fear ;  but  Fritz 


CAPTURING   THE    STORKS.  293 

was  a  good  way  off,  and  there  appeared  no  longer  any 
reason  for  dreading  him. 

Reasoning  thus,  —  and  perhaps  with  empty  stomachs 
to  guide  them  to  a  conclusion,  —  the  sight  of  the  fish,  — 
lying  unguarded  upon  the  gi-ass,  —  put  an  end  to  their 
fears ;  and,  without  further  hesitation,  both  dropped 
down  beside  it. 

Both  at  the  same  instant  clutched  at  the  coveted 
prize,  —  each  endeavoring  to  be  the  first  in  securing  it. 

As  one  of  the  birds  had  got  hold  of  the  fish  by  the 
head,  and  the  other  by  its  tail,  a  struggle  now  arose  as 
to  which  should  be  the  first  to  swallow  its  body.  Each 
soon  passed  a  portion  of  it  down  its  capacious  throat, 
until  its  mandibles  met  in  the  middle,  and  cracked 
against  each  other. 

As  neither  would  yield  to  the  other,  so  neither  woidd 
consent  to  disgorge,  and  let  go  ;  and  for  some  seconds 
this  curious  contention  was  kept  up. 

How  long  it  might  have  continued  was  not  left  to 
the  determination  of  the  parties  themselves ;  but  to 
Ossaroo,  who,  while  they  were  thus  occupied,  rushed 
upon  the  spot ;  and,  flinging  wide  his  arms,  enfolded 
both  the  birds  in  an  embrace,  from  which  they  vainly 
struggled  to  get  free. 

With  the  assistance  of  Karl  and  Caspar  —  who  had 
in  the  mean  time  tied  Fritz  to  a  tree  —  the  huge  crea- 
tures were  soon  overpowered,  and  pinioned  beyond  the 
possibiKty  of  escaping. 


i^94  THE   CLIFF-CLIMBEES. 


CHAPTER    LX. 


A   LABELLED   LEG. 


"  It  is !  it  is ! "  cried  Karl,  stooping  suddenly  down, 
and  grasping  the  sliank  of  one  of  the  birds. 

"  What  ?  "  inquired  Caspar. 

"  Look,  brother  !  See  what  is  there,  round  the  stork's 
leg !  Do  you  not  remember  having  seen  that  bit  of 
jewelry  before?" 

"A  brass  ring!  0  yes!"  replied  Caspar;  "now  I 
do  remember.  In  the  Botanic  Gardens  there  was  an 
adjutant  with  a  ring  round  its  ankle  ;  a  brass  ring,  too, 
— just  like  this  one.     How  very  odd ! " 

"  Like ! "  echoed  Karl.  "  Not  only  like,  but  the  very 
same!  Stoop  down,  and  examine  it  more  closely. 
You  see  those  letters?" 

"^.  B.  G.,  Calcutta"  slowly  pronounced  Caspar,  as 
he  read  the  inscription  graven  upon  the  ring.  "  '  i?.  B. 
G.'     What  do  these  initials  stand  for,  I  wonder  ?  " 

"  It  is  not  difficult  to  tell  that,"  knowingly  answered 
Karl.  "  Royal  Botanical  Garden  !  "\Vliat  else  could  it 
be?" 

"  No  tiling  else.  For  certain,  these  two  birds  must  be 
the  same  we  used  to  see  there,  and  with  which  we  so 
often  amused  ourselves  !  " 

"  The  same,"  asserted  Karl.     "  No  doubt  of  it." 

"And  Fritz  must  have  recognized  them  too,  —  when 


A    LABELLED    LEG.  295 

he  made  that  unprovoked  attack  upon  them !  You  re- 
member how  he  used  to  quarrel  with  them  ?  " 

"  I  do.  He  must  not  be  permitted  to  assail  them  any 
more.     I  have  a  use  for  them." 

"A  use?" 

"  All,  a  most  important  one ;  so  important  that  these 
birds,  ugly  and  unamiable  as  they  are,  must  be  cared  for, 
as  if  they  were  the  prettiest  and  most  prized  of  pets. 
"We  must  provide  them  with  food  and  water ;  we  must 
tend  them  by  day,  and  watch  over  them  by  night,  —  as 
though  they  were  some  sacred  fire,  which  it  was  our 
duty  to  keep  constantly  burning." 

"AU  that,  mdeed!" 

"  Verily,  brother  !  The  possession  of  these  storks  is 
not  only  important,  —  it  is  essential  to  our  safety.  If 
they  should  die  in  our  hands,  or  escape  out  of  them,  — 
even  if  one  of  them  should  die  or  get  away,  —  we  are 
lost.  Our  last  hope  lies  in  them.  I  am  sure  it  is  our 
last." 

"  But  what  hope  have  you  found  in  them  ?  "  interro- 
gated Caspar,  —  puzzled  to  make  out  the  meaning  of 
his  brother's  words,  and  not  without  wonder  at  their  ap- 
parent wildness. 

"  Hope  ?  Every  hope.  Ay,  something  more  than 
hope  :  for  in  this  singular  incident  I  cannot  fail  to  recog- 
nize the  finger  of  a  merciful  God.  Surely  he  hath  at 
length  taken  compassion  upon  us !  Surely  it  is  he 
who  has  sent  these  birds !  They  are  messengers  from 
Heaven  ! " 

Caspar  remained  silent,  gazing  earnestly  in  the  eyes 
of  his  brother,  that  were  now  sparkling  with  mingled 
gratitude  and  joy.  But  although  Caspar  could  perceive 
this  expression,  he  was  utterly  unable  to  interpret  it. 


296  THE    CLIFF-CLnrBERS. 

Ossaroo  was  alike  puzzled  by  the  strange  looks  and 
speeches  of  the  Sahib  Karl ;  but  the  Hindoo  gave  less 
heed  to  them,  —  his  attention  being  almost  wholly  taken 
up  by  the  adjutants,  which  he  fondled  in  turns,  —  talk- 
ing to  them  and  embracing  them,  as  if  they  had  been  his 
brothers ! 

As  soon  as  the  cord  had  been  looped  rovind  their 
ancles,  and  there  was  no  longer  any  danger  of  their  get- 
ting away,  Ossaroo  cut  up  the  fish  into  slices  convenient 
for  their  gullets ;  and  proceeded  to  feed  them  with  as 
much  fondness  as  he  could  have  shown  to  a  brace  of 
human  beings,  who  had  arrived  from  a  long  journey  in  a 
state  of  starvation. 

The  storks  exhibited  no  signs  of  shyness,  —  not  the 
slightest.  It  was  not  in  their  nature  to  do  so.  They 
gobbled  up  the  morsels  flung  before  them,  with  as  much 
avidity  and  unconcern,  as  if  they  were  being  fed  by  the 
side  of  the  great  tank  in  the  Garden  at  Calcutta. 

The  sight  of  Fritz  alone  had  a  disturbing  influence 
upon  them ;  but,  by  the  command  of  Karl,  the  dog  was 
kept  out  of  view,  iintU  they  had  finished  the  meal  with 
which  Ossaroo  had  provided  them. 

Caspar,  still  in  a  cloud,  once  more  interrogated  the 
plant-hunter  as  to  his  purjjose. 

"  Ho,  brother  !  "  answered  Karl,  "  you  are  not  wont  to 
be  so  dull  of  comprehension.  Can  you  not  guess  why  I 
am  so  joyed  by  the  presence  of  these  birds  ?  " 

"  Indeed  I  cannot  —  unless  —  " 

"Unless  what?" 

"  You  exjDect  them  to  carry  a  rope  up  the  cliff"." 

"  Carry  a  rope  up  the  cliff !  Nothing  of  .the  sort. 
Yes  ;  perhaps  it  is  something  of  the  sort.    But  since  you 


A   LABELLED    LEG.  2J7 

have  made  such  a  poor  guess,  I  shall  keep  you  in  sus- 
pense a  little  longer." 

"O  brother!  —  " 

"  Nay,  I  shall  not  tell  you.  It  is  news  worth  guessing 
at ;  and  you  and  Ossaroo  must  make  it  out  between  you." 

The  two  hunters,  thus  challenged,  were  about  entering 
upon  a  series  of  conjectures,  when  they  were  interrupted 
by  Karl. 

"  Come  !  "  said  he,  "  there  is  no  time  now.  You  can 
exercise  your  ingenuity  after  we  have  got  home  to  the 
hut.  We  must  make  sure  of  the  storks,  before  anything 
else  be  attended  to.  This  cord  is  too  slight.  They  may 
file  it  in  two  with  their  bills,  and  get  free.  The  very 
strongest  rope  we  have  got  will  not  be  more  than  suf- 
ficient. Come,  Ossaroo,  you  take  one.  Lift  it  up  in 
your  arms.  I  shall  carry  the  other  myself ;  while  you, 
Caspar,  see  to  Fritz.  Lead  the  dog  in  a  leash.  From 
this  time  forward  he  must  be  kept  tied  up,  —  lest  any 
misfortune  should  happen  to  spoil  the  best  plan  that  has 
yet  offered  for  our  deliverance." 

So  saying,  Karl  flung  his  arms  around  one  of  the 
adjutants.  Ossaroo  at  the  same  instant  embraced  the 
other ;  and,  despite  the  roaring  that  proceeded  from  their 
throats,  and  the  clattering  made  by  their  mandibles,  the 
huge  birds  were  borne  home  to  the  hut. 

On  arriving  there,  they  were  carried  inside  and  fast- 
ened with  strong  roj^es,  —  carefully  attached  to  their 
legs,  and  tied  to  the  heavy  beams  forming  the  rafters  of 
the  roof.  The  door  was  to  be  kept  shut  upon  them  at 
all  times  when  the  eyes  of  the  captors  were  not  watch- 
ing them :  for  Karl,  knowing  the  importance  of  having 
Buch  guests,  was  determined  to  make  sure  of  his  "  game." 
13* 


2D8  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBEKS. 


CHAPTER  LXI. 

MAIL-CARRIERS    ON    WINGS. 

It  was  only  after  they  had  gone  back  for  their  bask- 
ets of  beans,  and  once  more  returned  to  the  hut,  that 
Caspar  and  Ossaroo  found  time  to  indulge  in  their  con- 
jectures. Then  both  of  them  set  to  work  in  earnest,  — 
seated  upon  the  great  stones  outside  the  door,  where 
often  before  they  had  conjured  up  schemes  for  their  de- 
liverance. Neither  communicated  his  thoughts  to  the 
other ;  each  silently  followed  the  thread  of  his  own  re- 
flections, —  as  if  there  was  a  rivalry  between  them,  as 
to  who  should  be  the  first  to  proclaim  the  design  already 
conceived  by  Karl. 

Karl  was  standing  close  by,  apparently  as  reflective  as 
either  of  his  companions.  But  his  thoughts  were  only 
occupied  in  bringing  to  perfection  the  plan,  which  to 
them  was  still  undiscovered. 

The  storks  had  been  brought  out  of  the  hut  and  tied 
to  a  heavy  log  that  lay  near.  This  had  been  done,  partly 
to  accustom  them  to  the  sight  of  the  place,  and  partly 
that  they  might  be  once  more  fed,  —  the  single  fish  they 
had  swallowed  between  them  not  being  deemed  suSicient 
to  satisfy  their  hunger. 

Caspar's  eyes  .wandered  to  that  one  that  had  the  ring 
upon  its  leg ;  and  then  to  the  ring  itself,  —  H.  B.  G., 
Calcutta. 


MAIL-CARKIERS    ON    WaNGS.  299 

The  inscription  at  length  proved  suggestive  to  Caspar, 
as  the  ring  itself,  on  first  seeing  it,  had  to  his  brother. 
On  that  bit  of  brass  there  was  information.  It  had  been 
conveyed  all  the  way  from  Calcutta  by  the  bird  that 
bore  the  shining  circlet  uj^on  its  shank.  By  the  same 
means  why  might  not  information  be  carried  back? 
Why  — 

"  I  have  it !  I  have  it ! "  shouted  Caspar,  without 
waiting  to  pursue  the  thread  of  conjecture .  that  had 
occurred  to  him.  "  Yes,  dear  Karl,  I  know  your  scheme, 
■ —  I  know  it ;  and  by  Jupiter  Olympus,  it 's  a  capital 
one ! " 

"  So  you  have  guessed  it  at  last ! "  rejoined  Karl, 
rather  sarcastically.  "  "Well,  it  is  high  time,  I  think ! 
The  sight  of  that  brass  ring,  with  its  engraved  letters, 
should  have  led  you  to  it  long  ago.  But  come !  let  us 
hear  what  you  have  got  to  say,  and  judge  whether  you 
have  guessed  correctly." 

"  O  certainly !  "  assented  Caspar,  taking  up  the  tone 
of  jocular  badinage  in  which  his  brother  had  been  ad- 
dressing him.  "You  intend  making  a  change  in  the 
character  —  or  rather  the  calling  —  of  these  lately  ar- 
rived guests  of  ours."  Caspar  pointed  to  the  storks. 
"  That  is  your  intention,  is  it  not  ?  " 

«  Well  ?  " 

"  They  are  now  soldiers,  —  officers,  as  their  title  im- 
ports, —  adjutants ! " 

"Well?" 

"  They  will  have  no  reason  to  thank  you  for  your 
kind  intentions.  The  appointment  you  are  about  to 
bestow  on  them  can  scarce  be  called  a  promotion.  I 
don't  know  how  it  may  be  with  birds,  but  I  do  know 


300  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

that  there  are  not  many  men  ambitious  of  exchanging 
from  the  military  to  the  civil  service." 

"What  appomtment,  Caspar?" 

"  If  I  'm  not  mistaken,  you  mean  to  make  mail-carriers 
of  them,  — postmen,  if  you  prefer  the  phrase." 

"  Ha !  ha !  ha  !  "  laughed  Karl,  in  a  tone  expressive 
of  gratification  at  the  clever  manner  in  vphich  Caspar 
had  declared  himself.  "  Right,  brother  !  you  've  guessed 
ray  scheme,  to  the  very  letter.  That  is  exactly  what  I 
intend  doing." 

"  By  de  wheeles  ob  Juggannaut  coachee  !  "  cried  the 
shikaree,  vrho  had  been  listening,  and  understood  the 
figurative  dialogue  ;  "  dat  be  da  goodee  plan.  Dese  stork 
go  back  Calcutt,  —  surey  dey  go  back.  Dey  carry  letter 
to  Ferringee  Sahibs,  —  Sahibs  dey  know  we  here  in 
prison,  —  dey  come  d'liva  we  vey  dey  affer  get  de  letter, 
—  ha !  ha !  ha  !  "  Then  delivering  liimself  of  a  series 
of  shrill  ejaculations,  the  Hindoo  sprang  up  from  the 
stone  upon  which  he  had  been  sitting  and  danced 
around  the  hut,  as  if  he  had  suddenly  taken  leave  of 
his  senses ! 

However  imperfectly  spoken,  the  words  of  Ossaroo 
had  disclosed  the  whole  plan,  as  conceived  by  the  plant- 
hunter  himself. 

It  had  vaguely  defined  itself  in  Karl's  mind,  on  first 
seeing  the  storks  above  him  in  the  air ;  but  when  the 
lustre  of  metal  flashed  before  his  eyes,  and  he  perceived 
that  yellow  band  encircling  the  shank  of  the  bird,  the 
scheme  became  more  definite  and  plausible. 

When  at  length  the  storks  were  taken  captive,  and 
Karl  deciphered  the  inscription,  —  by  which  they  were 
identified  as  old  acquaintances  of  the  R.  B.  G.,  —  he  no 


MAIL-CARRIERS    ON   WINGS.  301 

longer  doubted  that  Providence  was  in  the  plot;  and 
that  these  winged  messengers  had  been  sent,  as  it  were, 
from  Heaven  itself,  to  deliver  him  and  his  companions 
from  that  prison  in  which  they  had  so  long  been 
pining. 


302  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 


CHAPTER    LXII. 


CONCLUSION. 


The  deliverance  came  at  length,  though  it  was  not  im- 
mediate. Several  months  more  of  that  lonely  and  monot- 
onous life  were  our  adventurers  called  upon  to  endure. 

They  had  to  wait  for  the  return  of  the  rainy  season ; 
when  the  rivers  that  traverse  the  great  plains  of  Hin- 
dostan  became  brimful  of  flood,  —  bearing  upon  their 
turbid  bosoms  that  luxuriance,  not  of  life,  but  of  death, 
which  attracts  the  crane  and  the  stork  once  more  to  seek 
subsistence  upon  their  banks.  Then  the  great  adjutant 
returns  from  his  summer  tour  to  the  north,  —  winging 
his  way  southward  over  the  lofty  summits  of  Imaus. 
Then,  too,  did  Karl  and  his  comrades  believe  that  their 
adjutants  would  be  guided  by  a  like  instinct,  and  go  back 
to  the  R.  B.  G., — the  Royal  Botanic  Garden  of  Calcutta. 

Karl  felt  confident  of  their  doing  so,  as  certain  almost 
as  if  he  had  stood  on  the  banks  of  the  sacred  stream  in 
the  R.  B.  G.  itself,  and  saw  them  descending  from  their 
aerial  flight  and  alighting  within  the  enclosure.  This 
confidence  arose  from  the  remembrance  of  his  having 
heard  —  while  sojourning  with  the  Curator  —  that  such 
had  been  their  habit  for  many  years ;  and  that  the  time, 
both  of  their  departure  and  arrival,  was  so  periodically 
regular,  that  there  was  not  an  employ^  of  the  place  who 
could  not  tell  it  to  a  day  ! 


CONCLUSION.  303 

Fortunately  Karl  remembered  the  time,  though  not  the 
exact  day.  He  knew  the  week,  however,  in  wliich  his 
guests  might  be  ex2:)ected  to  take  their  departure ;  and 
this  was  enough  for  his  purpose. 

During  their  stay  in  tlie  valley  the  birds  had  been 
cared  for,  as  if  they  had  been  sacred  to  some  deity, 
adored  by  those  who  held  them  in  charge. 

Fish  and  flesh  had  they  a  plenty,  —  with  Ossaroo  a.s 
their  provider.  Food  and  drink,  whenever  they  stood 
in  need  of  either ;  freedom  from  annoyance,  and  protec- 
tion from  enemies,  of  every  kind,  —  even  from  Fritz, 
who  had  long  since  ceased  to  be  their  enemy.  Nothing 
had  been  wanting  to  theii'  comfort ;  everything  had  been 
granted,  —  everything  but  their  liberty. 

This,  too,  was  at  length  restored  to  them. 

On  a  fair  morning  —  such  as  a  bu-d  might  have  chosen 
for  its  highest  flight  —  both  were  set  free  to  go  whither- 
soever they  listed. 

'  The  only  obstruction  to  their  flight  was  a  pair  of 
small  skin  sacks,  one  attached  to  the  neck  of  each,  and 
prudently  placed  beyond  the  reach  of  its  mandibles. 
Both  were  furnished  with  this  curiously-contrived  bag ; 
for  Karl  —  as  the  spare  leaves  of  his  memorandum-book 
enabled  him  to  do  —  had  determined  that  each  should  be 
intrusted  with  a  letter ;  and  lest  one  should  go  astray, 
he  had  sent  his  despatch  in  duplicate. 

For  a  time  the  birds  seemed  reluctant  to  leave  those 
kind  companions,  —  who  had  so  long  fed  and  cherished 
them ;  but  the  instinct  that  urged  them  to  seek  the  sun- 
ny plains  of  the  South  at  length  prevailed ;  and,  giving 
a  scream  of  adieu, — reciprocated  by  the  encouraging 
shouts  of  those  they  were  leavmg  behind,  and  a  pro- 


304  THE    CLIFF-CLIMBERS. 

longed  baying  from  the  throat  of  the  boarhound  Fritz, 

—  they  soared  aloft  into  the  air;  and  in  slow,  solemn 
flight  ascended  the  cliff,  —  soon  to  disappear  behind  the 
crest  of  the  encircling  ridge. 

Ten  days  after,  on  that  same  cliff  stood  a  score  of 
men,  —  a  glad  sight  to  Karl,  Caspar,  and  Ossaroo. 
Even  Fritz  barked  with  joy  as  he  beheld  them ! 

Against  the  blue  background  of  the  sky,  it  could  be 
perceived  that  these  men  carried  coils  of  rope,  pieces 
of  wood,  and  other  implements  that  might  be  required 
for  scaling  a  cliff. 

Our  adventurers  now  knew  that  one  or  other,  or 
both  copies  of  their  duplicate  despatch  must  have 
reached  the  destination  for  which  they  had  designed  it. 

And  the  same  destination  was  soon  after  reached  by 
themselves.  By  the  help  of  their  rescuers,  and  the 
long  rope-ladders  which  they  let  down,  all  three  suc- 
ceeded in  climbing  the  cliff,  — :  Fritz  making  the  ascent 
upon  the  shoulders  of  the  shikaree ! 

All  thi'ee,  amidst  a  company  of  delighted  deliverers, 

—  with  Fritz  following  at  their  heels,  —  once  more 
descended  the  southern  slope  of  the  Himalayas ;  once 
more  stood  upon  the  banks  of  the  sacred  Ganges ;  once 
more  entered  within  the  hospitable  gates  of  the  R.  B. 
G.,  —  there  to  renew  their  acquaintance,  not  only  with 
hospitable  friends,  but  with  those  winged  messengers, 
by  whose  instrumentality  they  had  been  delivered  from 
their  living  tomb,  and  once  more  restored  to  society 
and  the  world ! 


Cambridge  :  Stereotyped  and  Printed  by  Welch,  Bigelow,  &  Ca 


'ease  7iote  the  reduction  in  prices.     No  further 
reduction  ivill  he  made  during  the  present  year. 

124  STrcmont  St.,  SSoston, 
JULT,   1865. 

A  List  of  Books 

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